海藻酸包衣的季铵化壳聚糖纳米粒用于胰岛素口服给药的研究

本研究的目的是开发海藻酸包衣的壳聚糖纳米粒口服递送胰岛素。采用三聚磷酸钠（TPP）离子交联作用将N-[（2-羟基-3-三甲基铵）丙基]壳聚糖氯化物（HTCC）制备得到季铵化壳聚糖纳米粒（HTCC-T纳米粒）,然后在温和搅拌条件下滴加入海藻酸钠溶液,进一步形成海藻酸包衣季铵化壳聚糖纳米粒（HTCC-A纳米粒）。分别采用粒度仪、透射电镜和HPLC分析对HTCC-A纳米粒进行了粒径、zeta电位、表面形态、载药量和包封率的表征。结果表明,HTCC-A纳米粒为均匀的球形颗粒,大小为（322.2±8.5）nm,表面带有正电荷（（14.1±0.6）mV）。体外释放结果表明,在不同p H值的释放介质中,HTCC-A纳米粒的释放行为与HTCC-T纳米粒（未用海藻酸包衣）有很大的不同,这表明海藻酸包衣可以显著改善纳米粒中胰岛素的释放行为。同时,体外酶解试验和圆二色散图谱进一步证实,海藻酸包衣可以显著改善纳米粒中胰岛素结构稳定性。HTCC-A纳米粒十二指肠给药的相对药理生物利用度为8.0%±2.5%。与HTCC-T纳米粒口服给药相比,HTCC-A纳米粒的相对药理生物利用度显著增加（P〈0.05）,是HTCC-T纳米粒的2.2倍。由此可见,海藻酸包衣季铵化壳聚糖纳米粒（HTCC-A纳米粒）将可能成为一种有效的口服递送载体系统用于提高胰岛素的体内口服吸收效果。     

Design and evaluation of novel pH-sensitive chitosan nanoparticles for oral insulin delivery

Chitosan nanoparticles (CS NPs) have been commonly regarded as potential carriers for the mucosal delivery of therapeutic peptides because of their biocompatibility, bioadhesion and permeation enhancing properties. However, they have limited colloidal stability and readily dissociate and dissolve in the acidic gastric conditions. In the current study, CS NPs were formulated by ionic cross-linking with hydroxypropyl methylcellulose phthalate (HPMCP) as a pH-sensitive polymer and evaluated for the oral delivery of insulin. In vitro results revealed a superior acid stability of CS/HPMCP NPs with a significant control over insulin release and degradation in simulated acidic conditions with or without pepsin. Furthermore, fluorescently-labeled CS/HPMCP NPs showed a 2- to 4-fold improvement in the intestinal mucoadhesion and penetration compared to CS/TPP NPs as evidenced by quantitative fluorescence analysis and confocal microscopy. After s.c. injection to rats, no significant difference in the hypoglycemic effect of insulin solution or insulin-loaded CS/HPMCP NPs was observed, confirming the physico-chemical stability and biological activity of the entrapped peptide. Following peroral administration, CS/HPMCP NPs increased the hypoglycemic effect of insulin by more than 9.8 and 2.8-folds as compared to oral insulin solution and insulin-loaded CS/tripolyphosphate (TPP) NPs, respectively.     

Formulation and characterization of an oily-based system for oral delivery of insulin

The present work explored the possibility of formulating an oral insulin delivery system by combining the advantages of nanoencapsulation and the use of oily vehicle. The parameters affecting formulation such as association efficiency were characterized. The preparation was evaluated for its chemical, physical and biological stability. The preparation has unimodal particle size distribution with a mean diameter of 108 ± 9 nm. Insulin was protected from gastric enzymes by incorporation into lipid-based formulation. The results of RP HPLC and ELISA indicated that insulin was able to withstand the preparation procedure. Insulin in the preparations was stable for a period of one month at storage temperatures of 4 and 25 °C. It was also biologically active and stable as demonstrated by the remarkable reduction of blood glucose levels of the STZ-diabetic rats after oral administration of the preparation. Moreover, hypoglycemic effect of nanoparticles administered orally was sustained for a longer period of time compared to the subcutaneous injection. These results clearly evidenced the ability of the nanoparticles to enhance the pharmacological response of insulin when given orally and could be used to deliver other peptides.     

Tocol modified glycol chitosan for the oral delivery of poorly soluble drugs

The aim of this study was to develop tocol derivatives of chitosan able (i) to self-assemble in the gastrointestinal tract and (ii) to enhance the solubility of poorly soluble drugs. Among the derivatives synthesized, tocopherol succinate glycol chitosan (GC-TOS) conjugates spontaneously formed micelles in aqueous solution with a critical micelle concentration of 2 μg mL⁻¹. AFM and TEM analysis showed that spherical micelles were formed. The GC-TOS increased water solubility of 2 model class II drugs. GC-TOS loading efficiency was 2.4% (w/w) for ketoconazole and 0.14% (w/w) for itraconazole, respectively. GC-TOS was non-cytotoxic at concentrations up to 10 mg mL⁻¹. A 3.4-fold increase of the apparent permeation coefficient of ketoconazole across a Caco-2 cell monolayer was demonstrated. Tocol polymer conjugates may be promising vehicles for the oral delivery of poorly soluble drugs.     

Chitosan phthalate microspheres for oral delivery of insulin: preparation, characterization, and in vitro evaluation

Chitosan phthalate polymer was synthesized and its microspheres were prepared by emulsion phase separation technique. The characterization of microspheres was determined by means of FTIR spectroscopy, electron microscopy, particle size, and zeta potential. The insulin was loaded to the microspheres by passive absorption technique. The peptic and tryptic enzymes degradation of insulin in microspheres was investigated. The in vitro release behavior of the microspheres was investigated under different pH conditions (pH 2.0 and pH 7.4). The degree of phthalate substitution in the synthesized polymer was 20%. The prepared microspheres were spherical with an average diameter 46.34 μ m. The insulin-loading capacity was 62%. Chitosan phthalate microspheres protect the insulin from gastric enzymes degradation that may enhance the oral stability of insulin. The encapsulated insulin was quickly released in a phosphate buffer saline (pH 7.4), whereas a small amount of insulin was released under acidic condition (0.1N HCl; pH 2.0) because under acidic conditions, carboxylic groups present in the system exist in nonionized form and are poorly hydrophilic. However, in alkaline conditions, it exists in ionized form and is considerably hydrophilic. The results suggest that chitosan phthalate microspheres may be used as a potential carrier for oral insulin delivery.     

Intranasal delivery of dopamine to the striatum using glycol chitosan/sulfobutylether-β-cyclodextrin based nanoparticles

The aim of this study was to evaluate chitosan (CS)-, glycol chitosan (GCS)- and corresponding thiomer-based nanoparticles (NPs) for delivering dopamine (DA) to the brain by nasal route. Thus, the polyanions tripolyphosphate and sulfobutylether-β-cyclodextrin (SBE-β-CD), respectively, were used as polycation crosslinking agents and SBE-β-CD also in order to enhance the DA stability. The most interesting formulation, containing GCS and SBE-β-CD, was denoted as DA GCS/DA-CD NPs. NMR spectroscopy demonstrated an inclusion complex formation between SBE-β-CD and DA. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis revealed the presence of DA on the external surface of NPs. DA GCS/DA-CD NPs showed cytotoxic effect toward Olfactory Ensheathing Cells only at higher dosage. Acute administration of DA GCS/DA-CD NPs into the right nostril of rats did not modify the levels of the neurotransmitter in both right and left striatum. Conversely, repeated intranasal administration of DA GCS/DA-CD NPs into the right nostril significantly increased DA in the ipsilateral striatum. Fluorescent microscopy of olfactory bulb after acute administration of DA fluorescent-labeled GCS/DA-CD NPs into the right nostril showed the presence of NPs only in the right olfactory bulb and no morphological tissue damage occurred. Thus, these GCS based NPs could be potentially used as carriers for nose-to-brain DA delivery for the Parkinson’s disease treatment.     

Application of chitosan/alginate nanoparticle in oral drug delivery systems: prospects and challenges

Oral drug delivery systems (ODDSs) have various advantages of simple operation and few side effects. ODDSs are highly desirable for colon-targeted therapy (e.g. ulcerative colitis and colorectal cancer), as they improve therapeutic efficiency and reduce systemic toxicity. Chitosan/alginate nanoparticles (CANPs) show strong electrostatic interaction between the carboxyl group of alginates and the amino group of chitosan which leads to shrinkage and gel formation at low pH, thereby protecting the drugs from the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) and aggressive gastric environment. Meanwhile, CANPs as biocompatible polymer, show intestinal mucosal adhesion, which could extend the retention time of drugs on inflammatory sites. Recently, CANPs have attracted increasing interest as colon-targeted oral drug delivery system for intestinal diseases. The purpose of this review is to summarize the application and treatment of CANPs in intestinal diseases and insulin delivery. And then provide a future perspective of the potential and development direction of CANPs as colon-targeted ODDSs.     

pH-responsive thiolated chitosan nanoparticles for oral low-molecular weight heparin delivery: in vitro and in vivo evaluation

The aim of present study was to investigate a pH-responsive and mucoadhesive nanoparticle system for oral bioavailability enhancement of low-molecular weight heparin (LMWH). The thioglycolic acid (TGA) was first covalently attached to chitosan (CS) with 396.97?±?54.54?μmol thiol groups per gram of polymer and then the nanoparticles were prepared with thiolated chitosan (TCS) and pH-sensitive polymer hydroxypropyl methylcellulose phthalate (HPMCP) by ionic cross-linking method. The obtained nanoparticles were characterized for the shape, particle size, zeta potential, drug entrapment efficiency and loading capacity. In vitro results revealed the acid stability of pH-responsive nanoparticles, which had a significant control over LMWH release and could effectively protect entrapped drugs in simulated gastric conditions. By the attachment of the thiol ligand, an improvement of permeation-enhancing effect on freshly excised carp intestine (1.86-fold improvement) could be found. The mucoadhesive properties were evaluated using fluorescently labeled TCS or CS nanoparticles. As compared with the controls, a significant improvement of mucoadhesion on rat intestinal mucosa was observed in TCS/HPMCP nanoparticles via confocal laser scanning microscopy. The activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) was significantly prolonged and an increase in the oral bioavailability of LMWH was turned out to be pronounced after oral delivered LMWH-loaded TCS/HPMCP nanoparticles in rats, which suggested enhanced anticoagulant effects and improved absorption of LMWH. In conclusion, pH-responsive TCS/HPMCP nanoparticles hold promise for oral delivery of LMWH.     

In vitro and in vivo evaluation of WGA-carbopol modified liposomes as carriers for oral peptide delivery

Surface modification of liposomal nanocarriers with a novel polymer-lectin conjugate was proposed for enhancing the systemic uptake of encapsulated peptide and protein therapeutics after oral administration. Wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) was covalently attached to carbopol (CP) using the carbodiimide method. The prepared WGA-CP conjugate retained the biological cell binding activity of WGA without any evidence of cytotoxicity to Caco-2 monolayers. Cationic liposomes in the size range of 100 nm were prepared by the lipid film hydration method followed by probe sonication and surface modification with negatively charged WGA-CP. The uptake of WGA-CP liposomes by Caco-2 cells was significantly higher than that of non-modified or CP liposomes. The uptake was dependent on the surface concentration of WGA, temperature, and incubation period and was significantly inhibited in the presence of chlorpromazine and 10-fold excess of free WGA. These results suggest the involvement of active transport mechanism for the cellular uptake of the modified liposomes, mediated mainly by binding of WGA to its specific cell membrane receptors. Dual channel confocal microscopy confirmed the simultaneous association and internalization of the polymer conjugate and the liposomal carrier by Caco-2 cells and intestinal membrane of rats. In addition, the pharmacological efficacy of calcitonin, a model peptide drug, was enhanced by more than 20- and 3-fold following peroral administration of calcitonin-loaded WGA-CP liposomes when compared to non-modified and CP liposomes, respectively.     

Preparation and evaluation of alginate-chitosan microspheres for oral delivery of insulin

The alginate-chitosan microspheres with narrow size distribution were prepared by membrane emulsification technique in combination with ion (Ca²⁺) and polymer (chitosan) solidification. The preparation procedure was observed, and the physical properties (particle size distribution, surface morphology, chitosan distribution, zeta potential) of the microspheres were characterized. Subsequently, the microspheres were employed to load model peptide of insulin. The effect of loading ways on the loading efficiency and immunological activity of insulin were investigated. It was shown that the higher loading efficiency (56.7%) and remarkable activity maintenance (99.4%) were obtained when the insulin was loaded during the chitosan solidification process (Method B). Afterward, the release profile in vitro for the optimal insulin-loaded microspheres was investigated. Under the pH conditions of gastrointestinal environment, only 32% of insulin released during the simulated transit time of drug (2 h in the stomach and 4 h in the intestinal). While under the pH condition of blood environment, insulin release was stable and sustained for a long time (14 days). Furthermore, the chemical stability of insulin released from the microspheres was well preserved after they were treated with the simulated gastric fluid containing pepsin for 2 h. Finally, the blood glucose level of diabetic rats could be effectively reduced and stably kept for a long time (∼60 h) after oral administration of the insulin-loaded alginate-chitosan microspheres. Therefore, the alginate-chitosan microspheres were found to be promising vectors showing a good efficiency in oral administration of protein or peptide drugs.     

Preparation and evaluation of mucinated sodium alginate microparticles for oral delivery of insulin

Effective oral insulin delivery remains a challenge to the pharmaceutical industry. In this study, insulin-loaded microparticles for oral delivery were prepared with mucin and sodium alginate combined at different ratios using a novel method based on polymer coacervation and diffusion filling. Some physical characteristics of the various insulin-loaded microparticles such as particle size, morphology and compressibility indices were determined. The microparticles were filled into hard gelatin capsules and the in vitro insulin release as well as the blood glucose reduction after oral administration to diabetic rabbits were determined. The microparticles formed were generally multi-particulate, discrete and free flowing. Before insulin loading, microparticles were round and smooth, becoming fluffier, less spherical and larger with rough and pitted surface after insulin loading. The insulin content of the microparticles increased with increase in their sodium alginate content. The various insulin-loaded microparticles prepared with the mucinated sodium alginate when encapsulated exhibited lag time before insulin release. The time taken to reach maximum insulin release from the various formulations varied with the mucin–sodium alginate ratio mix. The mean dissolution time of insulin from the microparticles prepared with sodium alginate, mucin, sodium alginate: mucin ratios of 1:1, 3:1 and 1:3 was 11.21 ± 0.75, 3.3 ± 0.42, 6.69 ± 023, 8.52 ± 0.95 and 3.48 ± 0.65 (min.), respectively. The percentage blood glucose reduction for the subcutaneously administered insulin was significantly (p < 0.001) higher than for the formulations. The blood glucose reduction effect produced by the orally administered insulin-loaded microparticles prepared with three parts of sodium alginate and one part of mucin after 5 h was, however, equal to that produced by the subcutaneously administered insulin solution, an indication that it is an effective alternative for the delivery of insulin.     

Chitosan-functionalised poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) core-shell microgels as drug delivery carriers: salicylic acid loading and release

This work presents the evaluation of chitosan-functionalised poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (CS/PHEMA) core-shell microgels as drug delivery carriers. CS/PHEMA microgels were prepared by emulsifier-free emulsion polymerisation with N,N?′-methylenebisacrylamide (MBA) as a crosslinker. The study on drug loading, using salicylic acid (SA) as a model drug, was performed. The results showed that the encapsulation efficiency (EE) increased as drug-to-microgel ratio was increased. Higher EE can be achieved with the increase in degree of crosslinking, by increasing the amount of MBA from 0.01?g to 0.03?g. In addition, the highest EE (61.1%) was observed at pH 3. The highest release of SA (60%) was noticed at pH 2.4, while the lowest one (49.4%) was obtained at pH 7.4. Moreover, the highest release of SA was enhanced by the presence of 0.2 M NaCl. The pH- and ionic-sensitivity of CS/PHEMA could be useful as a sustained release delivery device, especially for oral delivery.     

ALDH2-deficiency as genetic epidemiologic and biochemical model for the carcinogenicity of acetaldehyde

Humans are cumulatively exposed to acetaldehyde from various sources including alcoholic beverages, tobacco smoke, foods and beverages. The genetic-epidemiologic and biochemical evidence in ALDH2-deficient humans provides strong evidence for the causal relationship between acetaldehyde-exposure due to alcohol consumption and cancer of the upper digestive tract. The risk assessment has so far relied on thresholds based on animal toxicology with lower one-sided confidence limit of the benchmark dose values (BMDL) typically ranging between 11 and 63 mg/kg bodyweight (bw)/day dependent on species and endpoint. The animal data is problematic for regulatory toxicology for various reasons (lack in study quality, problems in animal models and appropriateness of endpoints - especially cancer - for transfer to humans). In this study, data from genetic epidemiologic and biochemical studies are reviewed. The increase in the daily exposure dose to acetaldehyde in alcohol-consuming ALDH2-deficients vs. ALDH2-actives was about twofold. The acetaldehyde increase due to ALDH2 inactivity was calculated to be 6.7 μg/kg bw/day for heavy drinkers, which is associated with odds ratios of up to 7 for head and neck as well as oesophageal cancer. Previous animal toxicology based risk assessments may have underestimated the risk of acetaldehyde. Risk assessments of acetaldehyde need to be revised using this updated evidence.     

Superporous hydrogels based on blends of chitosan and polyvinyl alcohol as a carrier for enhanced gastric delivery of resveratrol

Resveratrol exhibits a number of pharmacological properties, notably antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer activities which are beneficial for the treatment of gastric diseases. However, the poor aqueous solubility and rapid metabolism are the important limitations in clinical uses. Superporous hydrogels (SPHs) based on chitosan/PVA blends were developed as a carrier for resveratrol solid dispersion (Res_SD) to increase the solubility and achieve sustained drug release in the stomach. The SPHs were prepared by gas forming method using glyoxal and sodium bicarbonate as cross-linking agent and gas generator, respectively. The solid dispersions of resveratrol with PVP-K30 were prepared by solvent evaporation and incorporated into the superporous hydrogels. All formulations showed rapid absorption of simulated gastric fluid and reached the equilibrium swollen state within a few minutes. The water absorption ratio and mechanical strength of SPHs were predominantly affected by the chitosan content, with maximum values at 1400 % and 375 g/cm², respectively.The Res_SD-loaded SPHs exhibited good floating properties and SEM micrographs revealed a highly interconnected pores structure with size around 150 μm. Resveratrol was efficiently entrapped within the SPHs at levels between 64 and 90 % w/w and efficient drug release was sustained over 12 h dependent on the concentration of chitosan and PVA. The Res_SD-loaded SPHs exhibited slightly less cytotoxic efffect towards AGS cells than pure resveratrol. Furthermore, the formulation showed similar anti-inflammatory activity against RAW 264.7 cells compared with indomethacin.     

The in vivo fate of nanoparticles and nanoparticle-loaded microcapsules after oral administration in mice: Evaluation of their potential for colon-specific delivery

Anti-cancer drug loaded-nanoparticles (NPs) or encapsulation of NPs in colon-targeted delivery systems shows potential for increasing the local drug concentration in the colon leading to improved treatment of colorectal cancer. To investigate the potential of the NP-based strategies for colon-specific delivery, two formulations, free Eudragit® NPs and enteric-coated NP-loaded chitosan–hypromellose microcapsules (MCs) were fluorescently-labelled and their tissue distribution in mice after oral administration was monitored by multispectral small animal imaging. The free NPs showed a shorter transit time throughout the mouse digestive tract than the MCs, with extensive excretion of NPs in faeces at 5 h. Conversely, the MCs showed complete NP release in the lower region of the mouse small intestine at 8 h post-administration. Overall, the encapsulation of NPs in MCs resulted in a higher colonic NP intensity from 8 h to 24 h post-administration compared to the free NPs, due to a NP ‘guarding’ effect of MCs during their transit along mouse gastrointestinal tract which decreased NP excretion in faeces. These imaging data revealed that this widely-utilised colon-targeting MC formulation lacked site-precision for releasing its NP load in the colon, but the increased residence time of the NPs in the lower gastrointestinal tract suggests that it is still useful for localised release of chemotherapeutics, compared to NP administration alone. In addition, both formulations resided in the stomach of mice at considerable concentrations over 24 h. Thus, adhesion of NP- or MC-based oral delivery systems to gastric mucosa may be problematic for colon-specific delivery of the cargo to the colon and should be carefully investigated for a full evaluation of particulate delivery systems.     

Preparation,characterization, and evaluation in vivo of Ins-SiO2-HP55 (insulin-loaded silica coating HP55) for oral delivery of insulin

Insulin is the most effective and durable drug in the treatment of advanced stage diabetes. However, oral delivering insulin was a tough task for rapid enzymatic degradation. In this work, we designed and developed a delivery system composed of enteric nanosphere for oral delivery of insulin. The silica was selected for loading insulin, which surface has a lot of pores with a powerful adsorption capacity, advantages for permeability and slow-release. The insulin-loaded silica (Ins-SiO₂) was prepared by adsorption in HCl solution. The Ins-SiO₂ obtained was coated with the hydroxypropyl methylcellulose phthalate (HP55) by desolvation method, which is a good enteric coating material. The Ins-SiO₂-HP55, an enteric nanosphere of insulin obtained were characterized by transmission electron microscope (TEM), surface area, Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The results showed that insulin was loaded most in the pores of silica, while the HP55 coated on the extent of Ins-SiO_2. In vitro drug release results revealed that the release of insulin from Ins-SiO₂-HP55 was markedly reduced in simulated gastric fluid (SGF). By contrast, the release amount of insulin from Ins-SiO₂-HP55 was increased significantly in simulated intestinal fluid (SIF). In vivo evaluation on diabetic animals showed the blood glucose level of diabetic rats could be effectively reduced after oral administration Ins-SiO₂-HP55. There is marked hypoglycemic effect after 1 h of taking the Ins-SiO₂-HP55. After 3 h, the GLU of rats of the Ins-SiO₂-HP55 stably kept from 4.85 to 2.67 mmol/L that was significantly less than the normal level (6.7 mmol/L). However, that of rats taking raw insulin kept from 8.03 to 6.56 mmol/L that is higher than the normal level. These results suggested that Ins-SiO₂-HP55 could have potential value in oral administration systems of diabetes chemotherapy.     

A novel method to prepare magnetite chitosan microspheres conjugated with methotrexate (MTX) for the controlled release of MTX as a magnetic targeting drug delivery system

The purpose of the present study is to develop a new method to prepare magnetite chitosan microspheres conjugated with methotrexate (MTX) for the controlled release of MTX as a magnetic targeting drug delivery system. MTX was first conjugated to the chitosan chain via a peptide bond and then a suspension cross-linking technique was used for the production of magnetic chitosan microspheres with glutaraldehyde as the cross-linker. The MTX-loading capacity of the magnetic chitosan microspheres was determined and drug release experiments were also carried out to discuss the MTX release behavior. All the data support that the magnetic chitosan-MTX microspheres prepared in this method would have great potential application in magnetic targeting drug delivery technology.     

Preliminary evaluation of a novel oral delivery system for rhPTH1-34: in vitro and in vivo

rhPTH1-34 is clinically used for osteoporosis treatment. However, this peptide drug has no oral bioavailability because of proteolysis and low membrane permeability in gastrointestinal gut. This study explored the possibility of absorption enhancement for rhPTH1-34 through the oral delivery of the microemulsion. The microemulsion (85:15, oil/water) consisting of Labrasol, Crodamol GTCC, Solutol^® HS 15, d-α-tocopheryl acetate (6:2:1:1, w/w) and saline water was developed and characterized, including particle size, morphology, drug loading efficiency and permeability, stability and pharmacokinetics. The microemulsion showed high drug loading efficiency (83%) and permeability, and significantly higher resistance to proteolysis in vitro study. The relative oral bioavailability was 5.4% and 12.0% when delivered to gastric and ileum. Besides, osteoporosis rats were induced and treated with oral rhPTH1-34 microemulsion (0.05 mg/kg), injection (0.01 mg/kg) and vehicle, respectively, for 8 weeks. The proximal tibia bone mineral content and density in oral rats (0.188 ± 0.008 g, 0.283 ± 0.014 g/cm²) was significantly increased compared to the control rats (0.169 ± 0.006 g, 0.266 ± 0.011 g/cm²), reaching to the sham rats. And the proximal tibia microstructure of oral rats was improved greatly, approaching sham level too. These findings revealed that oral microemulsion may represent an effective oral delivery system for rhPTH1-34.     

Thermosensitive hydrogels for nasal drug delivery: The formulation and characterisation of systems based on N-trimethyl chitosan chloride

Towards the development of a thermosensitive drug-delivery vehicle for nasal delivery, a systematic series of N-trimethyl chitosan chloride polymers, synthesised from chitosans of three different average molecular weights, have been co-formulated into a hydrogel with poly(ethylene glycol) and glycerophosphate. Rheological evaluations have shown that hydrogels derived from N-trimethyl chitosan with a low degree of quaternisation and high or medium average molecular weight exhibit relatively short sol-gel transition times at physiologically relevant temperatures. Also, the same hydrogels display good water-holding capacity and strong mucoadhesive potential, and their mixtures with mucus exhibit rheological synergy. An aqueous hydrogel formulation, derived from N-trimethyl chitosan of medium average molecular weight and low degree of quaternisation, appears particularly promising in that it exhibits most favourable rheological and mucoadhesive behaviour and a sol-gel transition that occurs at 32.5 °C within 7 min.     

Use of spray-dried chitosan acetate and ethylcellulose as compression coats for colonic drug delivery: Effect of swelling on triggering in vitro drug release

Spray-dried chitosan acetate (CSA) and ethylcellulose (EC) were used as new compression coats for 5-aminosalicylic acid tablets. Constrained axial or radial swelling of pure CSA and EC/CSA tablets in 0.1 N HCl (stage I), Tris-HCl, pH 6.8 (stage II), and acetate buffer, pH 5.0 (stage III), was investigated. Factors affecting invitro drug release, i.e., % weight ratios of coating polymers, dip speeds of dissolution apparatus or pH of medium or colonic enzyme (β-glucosidase) in stage III, and use of a super disintegrant in core tablets, were evaluated. Swollen CSA gel dissolved at lower pH and became less soluble at higher pH. The mechanism of swelling was Fickian diffusion fitting well into both Higuchi’s and Korsmeyer-Peppas models. EC:CSA, at 87.5:12.5% weight ratio, provided lag time rendering the tablets to reach stage III (simulated colonic fluid of patients), and the drug was released over 90% within 12 h. The system was a dual time- and pH-control due to the insolubility of EC suppressing water diffusion and the swelling of CSA in the stages I and II. The erosion of CSA gel in the stage III induced the disintegration of the coat resulting in rapid drug release. The lower dip speed and higher pH medium delayed the drug release, while a super disintegrant in the cores enhanced the drug release and no enzyme effect was observed.