The Merck Index of Chemicals and Drugs An Encyclopedia for the Chemist, Pharmacist, Physician and Allied Professions Sixth edition Pp xiv + 1167 (Rahway, NJ: Merck and Company, Inc, 1952) 750 dollars; thumb-indexed, 8 dollars

The Merck Index

Applications of nanotechnology in drug delivery to the central nervous system

The host immune system is highly compromised in case of viral infections and relapses are very common. The capacity of the virus to destroy the host cell by liberating its own DNA or RNA and replicating inside the host cell poses challenges in the development of antiviral therapeutics. In recent years, many new technologies have been explored for diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of viral infections. Nanotechnology has emerged as one of the most promising technologies on account of its ability to deal with viral diseases in an effective manner, addressing the limitations of traditional antiviral medicines. It has not only helped us to overcome problems related to solubility and toxicity of drugs, but also imparted unique properties to drugs, which in turn has increased their potency and selectivity toward viral cells against the host cells. The initial part of the paper focuses on some important proteins of influenza, Ebola, HIV, herpes, Zika, dengue, and corona virus and those of the host cells important for their entry and replication into the host cells. This is followed by different types of nanomaterials which have served as delivery vehicles for the antiviral drugs. It includes various lipid-based, polymer-based, lipid-polymer hybrid-based, carbon-based, inorganic metal-based, surface-modified, and stimuli-sensitive nanomaterials and their application in antiviral therapeutics. The authors also highlight newer promising treatment approaches like nanotraps, nanorobots, nanobubbles, nanofibers, nanodiamonds, nanovaccines, and mathematical modeling for the future. The paper has been updated with the recent developments in nanotechnology-based approaches in view of the ongoing pandemic of COVID-19.Graphical abstract.

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Nanotechnology-based antiviral therapeutics.

The delivery of drugs through the oral route is regarded as most optimal to achieve desired therapeutic effects and patient compliance. However, poor pharmacokinetic profiles of oral drug candidates remains an area of concern, and approaches to enhance their bioavailability are widely cited in the literature. Traditionally, the approaches have been confined to molecular optimization of the drug molecule, which has gradually evolved into development of microsized and nanosized formulations. Nanoformulations, by virtue of their nanosize, are widely acclaimed for circumventing the obstacles of poor pharmacokinetics. In this review, an attempt has been made to discuss existing challenges of bioavailability and approaches to overcome the same, with in-depth compilation of the literature on nanoformulations. The nanoformulations reviewed include nanocrystals, nanoemulsions, polymeric nanoparticles, self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery systems, dendrimers, carbon nanotubes, polymeric micelles and lipid nanocarriers. This review confirms the potential of nanomedicines to improve the pharmacokinetics of drugs via nanoformulations. Chemotherapeutic applications and patent reports are also compiled in the review. Despite the promising benefits, nanomedicines are associated with hazards to human health. Hence, the review also deals with toxicological consequences of nanomedicines, and with in vitro/in vivo screening methods to assess bioavailability as per regulatory considerations. Nanotechnology has been shown to facilitate the clinical translation of drug candidates that were deemed to be bioavailability failures. Conclusively, nanotechnological approaches to particle design and formulation are beginning to expand the market for many drugs with improved bioavailability and therapeutics. However, dedicated efforts are needed to develop advanced nanomedicines with minimal or no adverse effects.

Oral Bioavailability: Issues and Solutions via Nanoformulations

Liquid chromatography (LC) is a separation technique used in many different areas to aid the identification and quantification of substances in various matrices. LC techniques with various detection modes have been widely used for the sensitive and selective determination of trace amounts of pharmaceutical active compounds in biological samples and their dosage forms. A completely new system design with advanced technology has been developed, called ultra high performance liquid chromatography, which has evolved from high performance liquid chromatography. The application of LC methods to drug analysis introduces a powerful tool for therapeutic drug monitoring as well as for clinical research. The advantages of short turnaround time, method reliability, method sensitivity, and drug specificity justify the use of LC techniques for various groups of the drug active compounds. This review describes some of the principles of ultra high performance liquid chromatography and high performance liquid chromatography, validation of these methods, system suitability tests for the methods, and application of methods to pharmaceutical analysis in the last 3 years.

UPLC versus HPLC on Drug Analysis: Advantageous, Applications and Their Validation Parameters

The present research was aimed at development and evaluation of self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery system (SNEDDS) for improving bioavailability of nelfinavir mesylate (NFV), a protease inhibitor exhibiting pH dependent solubility and variable oral bioavailability. Maisine 35-1, Cremophor RH-40, and Labrasol were identified as oil, surfactant, and co-surfactant that had best solubility for NFV. Scheffe’s mixture design was used to optimize the amount of components in liquid self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery system (L-SNEDDS) by taking their amounts as independent variable, whereas globule size, drug loading, and percent transmittance were taken as dependent variable. Optimized NFV-L-SNEDDS was then adsorbed on Neusilin US2 to form solid self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery system (S-SNEDDS). NFV loaded L-SNEDDS and S-SNEDDS were characterized for various physicochemical properties, and solid-state properties were determined through differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy studies. In vitro dissolution using simulated gastric fluid and simulated intestinal fluid, ex vivo drug release study, and in vivo study were performed for pure NFV and NFV-S-SNEDDS. NFV-S-SNEDDS showed more than 90 % drug release in 20 min during drug release studies irrespective of pH of the dissolution medium. In vivo study revealed significant difference between release of NFV from suspension and NFV-L-SNEDDS and NFV-S-SNEDDS when given to rabbits (p < 0.001). NFV-L-SNEDDS and NFV-S-SNEDDS were subjected to stability study as per ICH guidelines, and NFV-S-SNEDDS was found to be stable during the period of study. S-SNEDDS could serve as a potential drug delivery system for NFV.

Development and optimization of solid self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery system (S-SNEDDS) using Scheffe’s design for improvement of oral bioavailability of nelfinavir mesylate

Simultaneous spectrophotometric determination of Celecoxib and Diacerein in bulk and capsule by absorption correction method and chemometric methods

Earthen hemisphere is gifted with varieties of large number of medicinal herbs. Herbs are natural remedies for the disease with higher safety profile and efficacy. The country like India has got variety of climatic conditions and seasons favorable for growth of many species of plants. Amongst the large number of herbal drugs existing in India, very few have been studied systematically so far. The list of drugs is very meticulous and diversified hence extensive efforts are required for their correct recognition. Piper longum is a highly valuable drug and is one of the essential ingredients in the most of the compound preparations included in Ayurvedic literature. Further, the use of the plant as a bioavailability enhancer has immensely increased its importance in the field of Ayurveda. Hence, an attempt has been made to address the chemistry and pharmacology of the plant P. longum. Commonly the plant P. longum is known as long pepper, species of the genus Piper belonging to family piperaceae of the unique order piperales of the verticillate of dicotyledones.

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CHEMISTRY AND PHARMACOLOGY OF PIPER LONGUM L. Review Article

An accurate, simple, reproducible, and sensitive HPLC method was developed and validated for the simultaneous determination of atorvastatin calcium, ezetimibe, and fenofibrate in a tablet formulation. The analyses were performed on an RP C18 column, 150 x 4.60 mm id, 5 pm particle size. The mobile phase methanol-acetonitrile-water (76 + 13 + 11, v/v/v), was pumped at a constant flow rate of 1 mL/min. UV detection was performed at 253 nm. Retention times of atorvastatin calcium, ezetimibe, and fenofibrate were found to be 2.25, 3.68, and 6.41 min, respectively. The method was validated in terms of linearity, precision, accuracy, LOD, LOQ, and robustness. The response was linear in the range 2-10 microg/mL (r2 = 0.998) for atorvastatin calcium, 2-10 microg/mL (r2 = 0.998) for ezetimibe, and 40-120 microg/mL (r2 = 0.998) for fenofibrate. The developed method can be used for routine quality analysis of the drugs in the tablet formulation.

Simultaneous determination of atorvastatin calcium, ezetimibe, and fenofibrate in a tablet formulation by HPLC.

Ultraviolet spectrophotometry (dual wavelength and chemometric) and high performance liquid chromatography for simultaneous estimation of meropenem and sulbactam sodium in pharmaceutical dosage form.

Archita J. Patel

Papers

Development and optimization of solid self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery system (S-SNEDDS) using Scheffe’s design for improvement of oral bioavailability of nelfinavir mesylate

Simultaneous spectrophotometric determination of Celecoxib and Diacerein in bulk and capsule by absorption correction method and chemometric methods

CHEMISTRY AND PHARMACOLOGY OF PIPER LONGUM L. Review Article

Simultaneous determination of atorvastatin calcium, ezetimibe, and fenofibrate in a tablet formulation by HPLC.

Ultraviolet spectrophotometry (dual wavelength and chemometric) and high performance liquid chromatography for simultaneous estimation of meropenem and sulbactam sodium in pharmaceutical dosage form.