The use of an appropriate oleogelator in the structuring of vegetable oil is a crucial point of consideration. Sunflower wax (SFW) is used as an oleogelator and displays an excellent potential to bind vegetable oils. The current study aimed to look for the effects of hydrophobic (SPAN-80) and hydrophilic (TWEEN-80) emulsifiers on the oleogels prepared using SFW and sunflower oil (SO). The biodegradability and all formulations showed globular crystals on their surface that varied in size and number. Wax ester, being the most abundant component of SFW, was found to produce fibrous and needle-like entanglements capable of binding more than 99% of SO. The formulations containing 3 mg of liquid emulsifiers in 20 g of oleogels showed better mechanical properties such as spreadability and lower firmness than the other tested concentrations. Although the FTIR spectra of all the formulations were similar, which indicated not much variation in the molecular interactions, XRD diffractograms confirmed the presence of β′ form of fat crystals. Further, the mentioned formulations also showed larger average crystallite sizes, which was supported by slow gelation kinetics. A characteristic melting point (T_m~60 °C) of triglyceride was visualized through DSC thermograms. However, a higher melting point in the case of few formulations suggests the possibility of even a stable β polymorph. The formed oleogels indicated the significant contribution of diffusion for curcumin release. Altogether, the use of SFW and SO oleogels with modified properties using biodegradable emulsifiers can be beneficial in replacing saturated fats and fat-derived products.

Oleogels (OGs) have gained a lot of interest as a delivery system for a variety of pharmaceuticals. The current study explains the development of jasmine floral wax (JFW) and wheat germ oil (WGO)-based OGs for oral drug (curcumin) delivery application. The OGs were made by dissolving JFW in WGO at 70 °C and cooling it to room temperature (25 °C). The critical gelation concentration of JFW that induces the gelation of WGO was found to be 10% (w/w). The OGs were characterized using various techniques such as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), microscopic analysis, and mechanical test. XRD data indicated that JFW influences the crystallinity of the OGs. Among the prepared OGs, OG 17.5 showed higher crystallization in the series. Optical microscopic studies demonstrated the formation of fiber structures due to the entanglement of crystals whereas, polarized light micrographs suggested the formation of spherulites or clustered crystallite structures. The mechanical properties of the OGs increased linearly with the increase in the JFW concentration. Curcumin-loaded OGs were examined for their controlled release applications. In summary, the developed OGs were found to have the necessary features for modulating the oral delivery of curcumin.

The current study aims to evaluate the effect of tamarind gum (TG) on the optical, mechanical, and drug release potential of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)-based films. This involves preparing PVA-TG composite films with different concentrations of TG through a simple solvent casting method. The addition of TG has enhanced the phase separation and aggregation of PVA within the films, and it becomes greater with the increase in TG concentration. Brightfield and polarized light micrographs have revealed that aggregation is favored by forming crystalline domains at the PVA-TG interface. The interconnected network of PVA-TG aggregates influenced the swelling and drying properties of the films. Using Peleg’s analysis, the mechanical behavior of films was determined by their stress relaxation profiles. The addition of TG has made no significant changes to the firmness and viscoelastic properties of films. However, long-durational relaxation times indicated that the interconnected network might break down in films with higher TG concentration, suggesting their brittleness. The controlled release of ciprofloxacin in HCl solution (0.5% (w/v)) appears to decrease with the increase in TG concentration. In fact, TG has inversely affected the impedance and altered the ionic conductivity within the films. This seems to have directly influenced the drug release from the films as the mechanism was found to be non-Fickian diffusion (based on Korsmeyer–Peepas and Peppas–Sahlin kinetic models). The antimicrobial study using Escherichia coli was carried out to evaluate the activity of the drug-loaded films. The study proves that TG can modulate the properties of PVA films and has the potential to fine-tune the controlled release of drugs from composite films.

Onychomycosis is an infection caused by a fungus that causes discoloration and thicken-ing of the nail layer, and it is the most common nail infection in the world. Trichophyton rubrum and Trichophyton mentagrophytes var. interdigital is the most common anthropophilic dermato-phytes that trigger it. Onychomycosis is caused by yeasts such as Candida albicans and Candida parapsilosis, as well as moulds such as Aspergillus spp. Treatment is determined by the type of nail invasion, the fungus genus, and the number of nails affected. Approaches towards conventional methods showed certain drawbacks, which emphasizes the need for alternate approaches to produce better therapeutic efficacy of a product. The present review focused on reporting an updated classi-fication of Onchyomycosis, causative organisms, factors influencing drug permeation, novel treat-ment strategies for Onychomycosis, and drug permeation enhancement methods.

Background and purpose: Urate crystal accumulation may lead to the condition of ocular tophaceous gout, causing ocular inflammation and increased intraocular pressure (IOP) due to the triggering of several inflammatory receptors like NLRP3, A2A, and TLR4. The study has been undertaken to manage intraocular pressure and inflammation using febuxostat (FBX) film formulation for sustained and improved activity, particularly for long-term tophaceous gout patients. Experimental approach: Hydroxypropyl methyl-cellulose K100 matrix-based hydrogel film of FBX has been fabricated in the presence of plasticizers like triethanolamine, dimethyl-sulphoxide (DMSO), or polyethylene glycol 600 using casting and evaporation technique. Carrageenan was injected into the upper palpebral region to induce ocular inflammation, and a normotensive rabbit eye model was used for monitoring IOP. Key results: Amorphization of the drug was observed from the differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction results. In vitro release study revealed an improved and diffusion-controlled sustained drug release for more than 5 h (62.69 to 84.76 %). Compared to its absence, decreased IOP was extended up to 5 h using film (with DMSO). Disappearance of ocular inflammation was also observed in the test animals after 2.5 h of film application, whereas acute inflammation was continued in the group without treatment for more than 4 h. Docking study revealed good binding interaction of drug and NLRP3, A2A, and TLR4 receptor. Conclusion: Febuxostat-loaded hydrogel-forming plasticized film could be utilized to better manage and control ocular inflammation and associated IOP, particularly in ocular tophaceous gout patients.