Design, synthesis, manufacture, characterization and evaluation of lipid nanocapsules in chitosan-iota-carrageenan based hydrogel scaffold as a potential anti-Covid-19 drug delivery system
- Authors: Mukubwa, Grady Kathondo
- Date: 2022-10-14
- Subjects: Nanocapsules Design , Hydrogel , COVID-19 (Disease) , Characterization , Drug delivery systems
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/364955 , vital:65665
- Description: Covid-19 is a deadly viral disease that has been rampant around the world since 2019. Although the successful introduction of the vaccine has reduced the spread of covid-19, new cases and deaths are still being recorded. To date, no specific curative antiviral treatment has been approved for covid-19. However, many existing antiviral drugs have been and are still being studied against covid-19 and some of them, such as Remdesivir, have shown promise and could be repurposed to treat this infection. Unfortunately, antiviral drugs are prone to resistance as most of them have poor biopharmaceutical properties, including low solubility, permeability and bioavailability, which could hinder any clinical success. Recent advances in nanotechnology-based delivery systems have made it possible to improve the biopharmaceutical properties of many drugs, especially those of poorly water-soluble drugs, by formulating them as lipid nanoparticles (LNP). Thus, in order to contribute to the fight against covid-19, this work aimed to develop Lipid Nanocapsules (LNC), based on some natural raw materials, which could improve the biopharmaceutical properties of antiviral drugs. In addition, since covid-19 infection is mainly respiratory, this work also aimed to fabricate a targeted delivery system based on a hydrogel capable of entrapping LNC and ensuring their efficient deposition and release in the lungs. The LNC consisted of a mixture of medium-chain triglycerides oil (MCT oil), crude soy lecithin, tween 80, NaCl and water, while the hydrogel consisted of a chitosan-grafted-iota carrageenan-grafted-poly (acrylamide-co-acrylic acid) system (CS-iCar-p (AAm-Co-AA)). Efavirenz (EFV), a drug with very low water solubility that has recently been demonstrated to have the potential to influence sars-cov-2 life cycle through different targets (3CLP, RdRp, Hellicase, 3’to5’exonuclease, 2’-O-ribose methyltransferase and EndoRNAse), was chosen as the model drug to evaluate the developed delivery system. The combination of LNP and hydrogel results in a delivery system known as the LNP-hydrogel composite, an emerging area of research in the field of drug delivery. To date, no research has reported the design and fabrication of an LNC-CS-iCar-p (AAm-Co-AA) hydrogel composite that could effectively deliver an antiviral drug to the lungs in addition to its advantages in terms of biological activities. Prior to the design of experiment, EFV solubility was assessed in water, labrafac lipophile 1349 and MCT oil. After that, the Design Expert Software version 13 was used to design the different experiments performed in this work. The I-optimal mixture design of experiments was performed for both LNC preparation and CS-iCar-p (AAm-Co-AA) hydrogel synthesis to study the impact of raw materials on the characteristics of these delivery systems. LNC were prepared using the phase inversion method while the free radical precipitation graft copolymerization method was used to synthesize hydrogel. In order to build polynomial models that could predict the amount of drug both LNC and CS-iCar-p (AAm-Co-AA) hydrogel can entrap, a D-optimal (custom) randomized design was performed. Moreover, various characterization techniques were used to investigate the physicochemical properties of the developed delivery systems. Thereafter, drug release studies were performed using a 1% sodium lauryl sulfate solution adjusted to either pH 4 or 7. Solubility studies revealed that EFV was more soluble in labrafac lipophile 1349 and in MCT oil than in water; therefore, given its affordability, MCT oil was used for the LNC formulation. The design of experiment carried out allowed the construction of polynomial models that could predict, on the one hand, the droplet size, the polydispersity index and the Zeta potential of LNC, which were respectively around 50nm, below 0.2 and below -33. On the other hand, the model could predict the swelling capacity of the synthesized hydrogel, which was optimised to about 30,000% (300 g of water to 1 g of hydrogel). This turned out to be influenced by the proportion of polymers, the ratio of monomers as well as the concentration of the cross-linking agent. In addition, the characterization techniques further supported the improvement of EFV solubility by highlighting its conversion into its amorphous state after encapsulation in LNC. They also confirmed successful synthesis of CS-iCar-p (AAm-co-AA) hydrogel. LNC were able to encapsulate about 87% of EFV while the synthesized CS-iCar-p (AAm-co-AA) hydrogel entrapped around 53% of EFV encapsulated in LNC. While LNC were able to release 42% and 27% of EFV after 74 hours in a 1% sodium lauryl sulfate solution (SLS) at pH 7 and pH 4 respectively, the LNC-CS-iCar-p (AAm-co-AA) hydrogel composite released about 50% and 40% of the drug after 9 days in the same release medium. Interestingly, the chemical integrity of the drug was preserved throughout the manufacturing process up to after its release, suggesting that the developed LNC-CS-iCar-p (AAm-co-AA) hydrogel composite could be used as a novel potential anticovid-19 drugs delivery system. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, Chemistry, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-10-14
- Authors: Mukubwa, Grady Kathondo
- Date: 2022-10-14
- Subjects: Nanocapsules Design , Hydrogel , COVID-19 (Disease) , Characterization , Drug delivery systems
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/364955 , vital:65665
- Description: Covid-19 is a deadly viral disease that has been rampant around the world since 2019. Although the successful introduction of the vaccine has reduced the spread of covid-19, new cases and deaths are still being recorded. To date, no specific curative antiviral treatment has been approved for covid-19. However, many existing antiviral drugs have been and are still being studied against covid-19 and some of them, such as Remdesivir, have shown promise and could be repurposed to treat this infection. Unfortunately, antiviral drugs are prone to resistance as most of them have poor biopharmaceutical properties, including low solubility, permeability and bioavailability, which could hinder any clinical success. Recent advances in nanotechnology-based delivery systems have made it possible to improve the biopharmaceutical properties of many drugs, especially those of poorly water-soluble drugs, by formulating them as lipid nanoparticles (LNP). Thus, in order to contribute to the fight against covid-19, this work aimed to develop Lipid Nanocapsules (LNC), based on some natural raw materials, which could improve the biopharmaceutical properties of antiviral drugs. In addition, since covid-19 infection is mainly respiratory, this work also aimed to fabricate a targeted delivery system based on a hydrogel capable of entrapping LNC and ensuring their efficient deposition and release in the lungs. The LNC consisted of a mixture of medium-chain triglycerides oil (MCT oil), crude soy lecithin, tween 80, NaCl and water, while the hydrogel consisted of a chitosan-grafted-iota carrageenan-grafted-poly (acrylamide-co-acrylic acid) system (CS-iCar-p (AAm-Co-AA)). Efavirenz (EFV), a drug with very low water solubility that has recently been demonstrated to have the potential to influence sars-cov-2 life cycle through different targets (3CLP, RdRp, Hellicase, 3’to5’exonuclease, 2’-O-ribose methyltransferase and EndoRNAse), was chosen as the model drug to evaluate the developed delivery system. The combination of LNP and hydrogel results in a delivery system known as the LNP-hydrogel composite, an emerging area of research in the field of drug delivery. To date, no research has reported the design and fabrication of an LNC-CS-iCar-p (AAm-Co-AA) hydrogel composite that could effectively deliver an antiviral drug to the lungs in addition to its advantages in terms of biological activities. Prior to the design of experiment, EFV solubility was assessed in water, labrafac lipophile 1349 and MCT oil. After that, the Design Expert Software version 13 was used to design the different experiments performed in this work. The I-optimal mixture design of experiments was performed for both LNC preparation and CS-iCar-p (AAm-Co-AA) hydrogel synthesis to study the impact of raw materials on the characteristics of these delivery systems. LNC were prepared using the phase inversion method while the free radical precipitation graft copolymerization method was used to synthesize hydrogel. In order to build polynomial models that could predict the amount of drug both LNC and CS-iCar-p (AAm-Co-AA) hydrogel can entrap, a D-optimal (custom) randomized design was performed. Moreover, various characterization techniques were used to investigate the physicochemical properties of the developed delivery systems. Thereafter, drug release studies were performed using a 1% sodium lauryl sulfate solution adjusted to either pH 4 or 7. Solubility studies revealed that EFV was more soluble in labrafac lipophile 1349 and in MCT oil than in water; therefore, given its affordability, MCT oil was used for the LNC formulation. The design of experiment carried out allowed the construction of polynomial models that could predict, on the one hand, the droplet size, the polydispersity index and the Zeta potential of LNC, which were respectively around 50nm, below 0.2 and below -33. On the other hand, the model could predict the swelling capacity of the synthesized hydrogel, which was optimised to about 30,000% (300 g of water to 1 g of hydrogel). This turned out to be influenced by the proportion of polymers, the ratio of monomers as well as the concentration of the cross-linking agent. In addition, the characterization techniques further supported the improvement of EFV solubility by highlighting its conversion into its amorphous state after encapsulation in LNC. They also confirmed successful synthesis of CS-iCar-p (AAm-co-AA) hydrogel. LNC were able to encapsulate about 87% of EFV while the synthesized CS-iCar-p (AAm-co-AA) hydrogel entrapped around 53% of EFV encapsulated in LNC. While LNC were able to release 42% and 27% of EFV after 74 hours in a 1% sodium lauryl sulfate solution (SLS) at pH 7 and pH 4 respectively, the LNC-CS-iCar-p (AAm-co-AA) hydrogel composite released about 50% and 40% of the drug after 9 days in the same release medium. Interestingly, the chemical integrity of the drug was preserved throughout the manufacturing process up to after its release, suggesting that the developed LNC-CS-iCar-p (AAm-co-AA) hydrogel composite could be used as a novel potential anticovid-19 drugs delivery system. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, Chemistry, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-10-14
Fabrication and characterization of ciprofloxacin loaded niosomes for transtympanic delivery
- Authors: Mhlanga, Asavela
- Date: 2022-04-06
- Subjects: Drug delivery systems , Liposomes , Ciprofloxacin , Quinolone antibacterial agents , Drug carriers (Pharmacy) , Drug stability , Lamellarity , Niosomes
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/290715 , vital:56777
- Description: Ciprofloxacin (CPH) is a broad-spectrum antibiotic used to treat bone, joint, and skin infections. It is commercially available as an extended-release tablet and as a cream dosage form. CPH is a bactericidal active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) of the fluoroquinolone drug class. It inhibits deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) replication by inhibiting bacterial DNA topoisomerase and DNA gyrase enzymes. Common adverse effects include nausea, vomiting, unusual fatigue, pale skin, and may increase the risk of tendinitis, which could be a major concern. CPH is, according to the Biopharmaceutics Classification System (BCS), classified as a BCS class IV drug exhibiting low oral bioavailability, low solubility, and intestinal permeability. CPH was chosen as a good candidate for the study because of its stability in solutions, its low molecular weight (331.4 g/mol), and its moderate lipophilicity (log P = 0.28) [16]. The use of conventional ear drops in the ear is effective, avoids hepatic first metabolism and extensive protein binding and may reduce adverse effects as a low dose may be used to achieve a therapeutic effect. However, conventional ear drops and oral antibiotics have a long onset of action and have to be taken/applied in short intervals. For convenience and assurance of a long residence time in the ear, CPH may be delivered by using a niosomal formulation, a liquid at room temperature, to allow administration into the ear without the need to constantly apply the ear drops for long periods of time. A simple, rapid, precise, accurate, reproducible, and specific reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) method using ultraviolet (UV) detection for the quantitation of CPH was developed and optimized using a central composite design (CCD). The method was validated using International Conference on Harmonisation (ICH) guidelines and was found to be linear, precise, accurate, and specific for the analysis of CPH. Since the method is specific, it was used to quantify CPH in commercial and experimental formulations and monitor CPH released during in-vitro release testing. The compatibility of CPH and potential excipients was investigated during preformulation studies using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) to identify and select suitable excipients for use during formulation development activities. No apparent interactions were evident between CPH, and the excipients tested. The probe sonication method was used to manufacture CPH loaded niosomes using different surfactants/surfactant combinations, and a combination of Tween® 80: sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) was found to be the best composition in terms of both entrapment efficiency and Zeta potential. The limits for the independent input variables used for the manufacture included amplitude, sonication time, and amount of cholesterol were determined. Design of experiments (DOE) was used to design the study. The input variables investigated included amplitude, amount of cholesterol, and sonication time. The output or responses monitored included Zeta potential, vesicle size, polydispersity index (PDI), and entrapment efficiency. Non-ionic surfactant systems are predominantly stabilized by steric stabilization, and there is only a minor electrostatic element from adsorbed hydroxyl ions. With the inclusion of SLS it is to be expected that Zeta potential will be a contributing factor. DOE using Box-Behnken design (BBD) and response surface methodology (RSM) in addition to Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) were used for the optimization of the formulation. The optimized formulation had a composition of 1 g cholesterol, 1 g of Tween® 80, 1 g of SLS and was prepared at an amplitude of 11.294 % with a sonication time of 3.304 minutes. The formulation exhibited zero-order release kinetics and had an average pH of 7.45. The formulation was stored at 4 ℃ and 25 ℃ and was assessed for vesicle size, entrapment efficiency, Zeta potential, colour, lamellarity, and PDI every 7 days for 4 weeks. The lead formulation stored at 4 ℃ was more stable than the formulation at 25 ℃ in terms of entrapment efficiency, PDI and vesicle size during the 4-week period. CPH loaded niosomes for transtympanic delivery in the treatment of otitis media were developed and optimized. The technology exhibits sustained release of CPH and has the potential for further development and optimization. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Pharmacy, Pharmacy, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-04-06
- Authors: Mhlanga, Asavela
- Date: 2022-04-06
- Subjects: Drug delivery systems , Liposomes , Ciprofloxacin , Quinolone antibacterial agents , Drug carriers (Pharmacy) , Drug stability , Lamellarity , Niosomes
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/290715 , vital:56777
- Description: Ciprofloxacin (CPH) is a broad-spectrum antibiotic used to treat bone, joint, and skin infections. It is commercially available as an extended-release tablet and as a cream dosage form. CPH is a bactericidal active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) of the fluoroquinolone drug class. It inhibits deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) replication by inhibiting bacterial DNA topoisomerase and DNA gyrase enzymes. Common adverse effects include nausea, vomiting, unusual fatigue, pale skin, and may increase the risk of tendinitis, which could be a major concern. CPH is, according to the Biopharmaceutics Classification System (BCS), classified as a BCS class IV drug exhibiting low oral bioavailability, low solubility, and intestinal permeability. CPH was chosen as a good candidate for the study because of its stability in solutions, its low molecular weight (331.4 g/mol), and its moderate lipophilicity (log P = 0.28) [16]. The use of conventional ear drops in the ear is effective, avoids hepatic first metabolism and extensive protein binding and may reduce adverse effects as a low dose may be used to achieve a therapeutic effect. However, conventional ear drops and oral antibiotics have a long onset of action and have to be taken/applied in short intervals. For convenience and assurance of a long residence time in the ear, CPH may be delivered by using a niosomal formulation, a liquid at room temperature, to allow administration into the ear without the need to constantly apply the ear drops for long periods of time. A simple, rapid, precise, accurate, reproducible, and specific reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) method using ultraviolet (UV) detection for the quantitation of CPH was developed and optimized using a central composite design (CCD). The method was validated using International Conference on Harmonisation (ICH) guidelines and was found to be linear, precise, accurate, and specific for the analysis of CPH. Since the method is specific, it was used to quantify CPH in commercial and experimental formulations and monitor CPH released during in-vitro release testing. The compatibility of CPH and potential excipients was investigated during preformulation studies using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) to identify and select suitable excipients for use during formulation development activities. No apparent interactions were evident between CPH, and the excipients tested. The probe sonication method was used to manufacture CPH loaded niosomes using different surfactants/surfactant combinations, and a combination of Tween® 80: sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) was found to be the best composition in terms of both entrapment efficiency and Zeta potential. The limits for the independent input variables used for the manufacture included amplitude, sonication time, and amount of cholesterol were determined. Design of experiments (DOE) was used to design the study. The input variables investigated included amplitude, amount of cholesterol, and sonication time. The output or responses monitored included Zeta potential, vesicle size, polydispersity index (PDI), and entrapment efficiency. Non-ionic surfactant systems are predominantly stabilized by steric stabilization, and there is only a minor electrostatic element from adsorbed hydroxyl ions. With the inclusion of SLS it is to be expected that Zeta potential will be a contributing factor. DOE using Box-Behnken design (BBD) and response surface methodology (RSM) in addition to Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) were used for the optimization of the formulation. The optimized formulation had a composition of 1 g cholesterol, 1 g of Tween® 80, 1 g of SLS and was prepared at an amplitude of 11.294 % with a sonication time of 3.304 minutes. The formulation exhibited zero-order release kinetics and had an average pH of 7.45. The formulation was stored at 4 ℃ and 25 ℃ and was assessed for vesicle size, entrapment efficiency, Zeta potential, colour, lamellarity, and PDI every 7 days for 4 weeks. The lead formulation stored at 4 ℃ was more stable than the formulation at 25 ℃ in terms of entrapment efficiency, PDI and vesicle size during the 4-week period. CPH loaded niosomes for transtympanic delivery in the treatment of otitis media were developed and optimized. The technology exhibits sustained release of CPH and has the potential for further development and optimization. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Pharmacy, Pharmacy, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-04-06
A self-emulsifying delivery system loaded with efavirenz: The case for flax-seed oil
- Authors: Mazonde, Priveledge
- Date: 2021-10-29
- Subjects: Drug delivery systems , Linseed oil , Antiretroviral agents , HIV (Viruses) , Drug carriers (Pharmacy) , Solubility , High performance liquid chromatography , Efavirenz
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/192944 , vital:45283
- Description: The feasibility of incorporating efavirenz (EFV), an antiretroviral agent against HIV into a lipid-based self-emulsifying drug delivery system (SEDDS) containing vegetable oils was investigated. EFV has poor aqueous solubility and is classified under the Biopharmaceutical Classification System (BCS) as a class II compound with highly permeability, its aqueous solubility is less than 10 mg/ml and is defined as a practically insoluble compound with a consequent poor bioavailability of approximately 40%, and erratic dissolution behaviour. SEDDS formulations have been shown to improve the aqueous solubility and consequently the bioavailability of BCS II compounds such as EFV. EFV is a first line antiviral agent used in combination with other agents in antiretroviral therapy (ART). Among the number of NNRTIs approved for use in HIV treatment, EFV is one of the most commonly prescribed drug. Statistical methods and Design of Experiments (DoE) using Response Surface Methodology (RSM), specifically a Central Composite Design (CCD), were used to facilitate the development of a reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method for the quantitation of EFV during formulation product and process development studies. A rapid, accurate, precise and sensitive HPLC method with ultraviolet (UV) detection was developed, optimised and validated for the in-vitro analysis of EFV in a total run time under 10 minutes for the elution of both EFV and loratidine which was used as the internal standard (IS). The method was then successfully applied to the determination of EFV in commercially available tablets. Excipient screening was undertaken using solubility studies and revealed that EFV had highest solubility in flaxseed oil in comparison to soybean, macadamia, grapeseed, sunflower and olive oils. The non-ionic Tween® 80 and Span® 20 were selected as surfactant and co-surfactant, respectively with ethanol co-solvent as they exhibited improved miscibility with co-solvent. Pre-formulation studies were undertaken to investigate the compatibility of the API with excipients and to identify a nano-emulsion region and other emulsion types using pseudoternary phase diagrams. The phase behaviour of crude cold pressed flaxseed oil with the selected non-ionic surfactants revealed an area within pseudo-ternary phase diagrams for different surfactant-mixtures formed gels/semisolid structures which can be exploited for other drug delivery strategies that require such properties. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), powder x-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy were used to identify and assess the compatibility of EFV with chosen excipients. 2 A reduction in the peak intensity was observed for EFV when combined with each hydrophobic/lipid excipient evaluated revealing that there was a marked reduction in the crystallinity of the EFV. A decrease in crystallinity in comparison with the bulk API may indicate that EFV were amorphous or sequestered in a molecular dispersion and exhibited an increased solubility for the molecule. Flaxseed oil was used as the oil phase in studies for the optimization of surfactant mixtures undertaken using DoE, specifically a D-optimal mixtures design with the flaxseed oil content set at 10% m/m was performed. Solutions from the desired optimization function were produced based on desirability and five nanoemulsion formulations were produced and characterized in terms of in vitro release of efavirenz, drug loading capacity, Zeta Potential, droplet sizes and polydispersity index (PDI). Kinetically stable nanoemulsions containing 10% m/m flaxseed oil were successfully manufactured and assessed. Droplet sizes ranged between 156 and 225 nm, Zeta Potential between −24 and −41 mV and all formulations were found to be monodisperse with polydispersity indices ≤ 0.487. SEDDS formulations of EFV in nano-sized carriers were developed and optimised, in vitro drug release varied with varying amounts of ethanol in the formulation producing formulations that exhibited differently modulated drug in-vitro release profiles that may be further manipulated for better performance and therapeutic outcomes in terms of solubility and possibly bioavailability of EFV when delivered using SEDDS rather than using tablets which in turn may lead to better therapeutic outcomes for patients with HIV. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Pharmacy, Pharmacy, 2021
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021-10-29
- Authors: Mazonde, Priveledge
- Date: 2021-10-29
- Subjects: Drug delivery systems , Linseed oil , Antiretroviral agents , HIV (Viruses) , Drug carriers (Pharmacy) , Solubility , High performance liquid chromatography , Efavirenz
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/192944 , vital:45283
- Description: The feasibility of incorporating efavirenz (EFV), an antiretroviral agent against HIV into a lipid-based self-emulsifying drug delivery system (SEDDS) containing vegetable oils was investigated. EFV has poor aqueous solubility and is classified under the Biopharmaceutical Classification System (BCS) as a class II compound with highly permeability, its aqueous solubility is less than 10 mg/ml and is defined as a practically insoluble compound with a consequent poor bioavailability of approximately 40%, and erratic dissolution behaviour. SEDDS formulations have been shown to improve the aqueous solubility and consequently the bioavailability of BCS II compounds such as EFV. EFV is a first line antiviral agent used in combination with other agents in antiretroviral therapy (ART). Among the number of NNRTIs approved for use in HIV treatment, EFV is one of the most commonly prescribed drug. Statistical methods and Design of Experiments (DoE) using Response Surface Methodology (RSM), specifically a Central Composite Design (CCD), were used to facilitate the development of a reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method for the quantitation of EFV during formulation product and process development studies. A rapid, accurate, precise and sensitive HPLC method with ultraviolet (UV) detection was developed, optimised and validated for the in-vitro analysis of EFV in a total run time under 10 minutes for the elution of both EFV and loratidine which was used as the internal standard (IS). The method was then successfully applied to the determination of EFV in commercially available tablets. Excipient screening was undertaken using solubility studies and revealed that EFV had highest solubility in flaxseed oil in comparison to soybean, macadamia, grapeseed, sunflower and olive oils. The non-ionic Tween® 80 and Span® 20 were selected as surfactant and co-surfactant, respectively with ethanol co-solvent as they exhibited improved miscibility with co-solvent. Pre-formulation studies were undertaken to investigate the compatibility of the API with excipients and to identify a nano-emulsion region and other emulsion types using pseudoternary phase diagrams. The phase behaviour of crude cold pressed flaxseed oil with the selected non-ionic surfactants revealed an area within pseudo-ternary phase diagrams for different surfactant-mixtures formed gels/semisolid structures which can be exploited for other drug delivery strategies that require such properties. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), powder x-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy were used to identify and assess the compatibility of EFV with chosen excipients. 2 A reduction in the peak intensity was observed for EFV when combined with each hydrophobic/lipid excipient evaluated revealing that there was a marked reduction in the crystallinity of the EFV. A decrease in crystallinity in comparison with the bulk API may indicate that EFV were amorphous or sequestered in a molecular dispersion and exhibited an increased solubility for the molecule. Flaxseed oil was used as the oil phase in studies for the optimization of surfactant mixtures undertaken using DoE, specifically a D-optimal mixtures design with the flaxseed oil content set at 10% m/m was performed. Solutions from the desired optimization function were produced based on desirability and five nanoemulsion formulations were produced and characterized in terms of in vitro release of efavirenz, drug loading capacity, Zeta Potential, droplet sizes and polydispersity index (PDI). Kinetically stable nanoemulsions containing 10% m/m flaxseed oil were successfully manufactured and assessed. Droplet sizes ranged between 156 and 225 nm, Zeta Potential between −24 and −41 mV and all formulations were found to be monodisperse with polydispersity indices ≤ 0.487. SEDDS formulations of EFV in nano-sized carriers were developed and optimised, in vitro drug release varied with varying amounts of ethanol in the formulation producing formulations that exhibited differently modulated drug in-vitro release profiles that may be further manipulated for better performance and therapeutic outcomes in terms of solubility and possibly bioavailability of EFV when delivered using SEDDS rather than using tablets which in turn may lead to better therapeutic outcomes for patients with HIV. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Pharmacy, Pharmacy, 2021
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021-10-29
The development, manufacture and evaluation of sustained release gastric-resistant isoniazid and gastroretentive microporous rifampicin microspheres
- Authors: Mwila, Chiluba
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Biodegradation , Microspheres (Pharmacy) , Drug delivery systems , Rifampin , Isoniazid
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/63497 , vital:28421 , DOI 10.21504/10962/63497
- Description: According to the World Health Organization Global Tuberculosis (TB) 2017 Report, there were an estimated 10.4 million new TB cases worldwide of which, in 2016, 65 % occurred in men, 28.1 % in women and 6.9 % in children. TB is the ninth leading cause of death globally and is the leading cause due to an infectious organism surpassing HIV/AIDS. Treatment is long-term and the use of a combination of medicines is required for success. The concern related to the use of fixed dose combination products for the treatment of TB is the issue of low bioavailability of rifampicin observed from a number of fixed dose combination (FDC) formulations. The hydrolysis of rifampicin, in acidic media, to form insoluble 3-formyl rifamycin SV contributes to poor bioavailability of rifampicin. The degradation of rifampicin to form this poorly absorbed compound is accelerated in the presence of isoniazid via the reversible formation of isonicotinyl hydrazone is a further factor contributing to the poor bioavailability of rifampicin. Therefore, the development of a novel drug delivery technology that prevents interactions between rifampicin and isoniazid in an acidic medium is required. A Box Behnken design was successfully used for the optimisation of a rapid and accurate stability-indicating gradient elution RP-HPLC method for the simultaneous analysis of isoniazid, pyrazinamide and rifampicin. The method was validated using ICH guidelines and the results indicate it can be used for the rapid analysis of commercially available TB FDC formulations containing the active pharmaceutical ingredients, API. The method is precise, sensitive and has the necessary selectivity for use during formulation development and optimisation studies for a combination of rifampicin, isoniazid and pyrazinamide. Initially formulation activities were undertaken with rifampicin and isoniazid for the development of an approach to enhance the effective delivery of these compounds. The characterisation of rifampicin and isoniazid was undertaken using spectroscopic, thermal and microscopic analysis. The studies revealed that the compounds are crystalline and exhibit distinct characteristic sharp peaks in X-ray diffractograms and Differential Scanning Calorimetry thermograms. The thermograms, 13C Nuclear Magnetic Resonance and Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy results identified that rifampicin occurs as the form II polymorph however, as there are no significant biopharmaceutic differences between the polymorphic forms of rifampicin this information was used for identification purposes only. The results were used as baseline data for comparative purposes to monitor changes that may occur when rifampicin and isoniazid are used in formulation development, dosage form manufacture and characterisation activities for a FDC technology designed to deliver both compounds simultaneously. Hydroxypropylmethylcellulose acetate succinate (HPMC-AS) and Eudragit® L100 polymers were successfully used for manufacture of isoniazid loaded gastric-resistant sustained release microspheres using an o/o solvent emulsification and evaporation approach. A Hybrid experimental design was used to investigate the influence of input variables viz., homogenisation speed and amount of HPMC-AS and Eudragit® L100 on gastric-resistance, INH release and encapsulation efficiency. The approach of using coating polymers viz., HPMC-AS and Eudragit® L100, to manufacture gastric resistant sustained release microspheres of isoniazid is unique and was efficient for preventing the release of isoniazid in an acidic environment. Only 0.523 % isoniazid was released from the optimised formulation after 2 h exposure to pH 1.2 0.1 M HCl suggesting there is also the possibility of minimising the accelerated degradation of rifampicin that occurs in the presence of isoniazid in acidic media. The microspheres also exhibited sustained release properties without burst release in pH 6.8 0.1 M phosphate buffer as < 5 % isoniazid was released at 0.5 h and only 11 % isoniazid was released at 2 h. The release of isoniazid was sustained over the entire period of dissolution testing with > 85 % isoniazid released at 24 h, implying that the majority of encapsulated isoniazid would be available for absorption. The manufacturing process resulted in the production of hard spherical particles and particle size analysis revealed that the microspheres ranged between 415.76 ± 76.93 μm and 903.35 ± 197.10 μm in diameter. The microspheres exhibited excellent flow properties attributed to the spherical nature of particles. Carr‟s index (CI) was 4.934 ± 0.775 % and the Hausner ratio (HR) was 1.148 ± 0.033 indicating good packability of the microspheres that would help in achieving weight and content uniformity of capsule dosage units. The manufacturing process however produced a low % yield suggesting that scale up difficulties may be encountered. However the high encapsulation efficiency observed may counter the challenges associated with the low yield. The DSC thermograms and FT Raman spectra of 1:1 mixtures of isoniazid, excipients and the microspheres did not reveal any potential detrimental interactions. Microporous floating sustained release microspheres for the delivery of rifampicin in the stomach have been successfully manufactured using emulsification and a diffusion/evaporation process. A novel approach using solvent mixture of acetone and dichloromethane that has not been reported for the manufacture of rifampicin microspheres was successfully used and resulted in the formation of a stable emulsion and the manufacture of rifampicin-loaded microspheres with uniform characteristics. In addition the manufacturing process was shorter than most other reported methods. A Box-Behnken experimental design was successfully used to study the influence of ethylcellulose, Eudragit® RLPO and d-glucose content on the floating properties, encapsulation efficiency and % yield of microspheres. The optimised formulation did not yield desired floating characteristics as the % buoyancy was low and floating lag times were high. The optimised formulation was modified by addition of NaHCO3 to increase the % buoyancy and reduce the floating lag time. Rifampicin release from the microspheres of the modified batch was 87.10 % at 12 h and the microspheres exhibited a % buoyancy of 87.66 ± 1.28 % (n = 6) and floating lag time of 15 ± 3.2 (n = 6) seconds. The microspheres remained buoyant for up to 12 h and an encapsulation efficiency of 88.26 ± 1.25 % was achieved. SEM images of microspheres following exposure to dissolution fluid revealed that the microspheres had numerous pores on their surface. The mean particle size distribution ranged between 423.19 ± 121.86 μm to 620.07 ± 102.67 μm. The microspheres exhibited similar flow characteristics to isoniazid microspheres with a CI of 1.422 ± 0.074 %, and HR of 1.034 ± 0.002. The excellent flow characteristics indicate that filling of the microspheres into hard gelatin capsules was unlikely to pose a challenge in respect of producing a product with uniform content. Rifampicin-excipient compatibility studies did not reveal any potential or significant interactions suggesting that the excipients used for the manufacture of the microspheres were compatible, although long term stability studies would be required to ascertain this is, indeed the case. The microporous floating sustained release microspheres manufactured in these studies has the potential to increase the bioavailability of rifampicin as they may be retained in the stomach where the solubility of rifampicin is high and from which absorption is best achieved. The degradation of rifampicin after 12 h dissolution testing in pH 1.2 0.1 M HCl in the presence of isoniazid gastric-resistant sustained release microspheres was only 4.44%. These results indicate that the degradation of rifampicin in the presence of isoniazid in acidic media can be overcome by encapsulation of both active pharmaceutical ingredients in a manner that ensure release in different segments of the gastrointestinal tract. The use of sustained release microporous gastroretentive rifampicin microspheres in combination with sustained release isoniazid gastric-resistant microspheres revealed that accelerated degradation of rifampicin in the presence of isoniazid is reduced significantly when using this approach and a FDC of rifampicin and isoniazid microspheres has the potential to improve the bioavailability of rifampicin thereby enhancing therapeutic outcomes. In vivo studies would be required to confirm the potential benefits of using this approach to deliver rifampicin in combination with isoniazid. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Pharmacy, Pharmacy, 2018
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
- Authors: Mwila, Chiluba
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Biodegradation , Microspheres (Pharmacy) , Drug delivery systems , Rifampin , Isoniazid
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/63497 , vital:28421 , DOI 10.21504/10962/63497
- Description: According to the World Health Organization Global Tuberculosis (TB) 2017 Report, there were an estimated 10.4 million new TB cases worldwide of which, in 2016, 65 % occurred in men, 28.1 % in women and 6.9 % in children. TB is the ninth leading cause of death globally and is the leading cause due to an infectious organism surpassing HIV/AIDS. Treatment is long-term and the use of a combination of medicines is required for success. The concern related to the use of fixed dose combination products for the treatment of TB is the issue of low bioavailability of rifampicin observed from a number of fixed dose combination (FDC) formulations. The hydrolysis of rifampicin, in acidic media, to form insoluble 3-formyl rifamycin SV contributes to poor bioavailability of rifampicin. The degradation of rifampicin to form this poorly absorbed compound is accelerated in the presence of isoniazid via the reversible formation of isonicotinyl hydrazone is a further factor contributing to the poor bioavailability of rifampicin. Therefore, the development of a novel drug delivery technology that prevents interactions between rifampicin and isoniazid in an acidic medium is required. A Box Behnken design was successfully used for the optimisation of a rapid and accurate stability-indicating gradient elution RP-HPLC method for the simultaneous analysis of isoniazid, pyrazinamide and rifampicin. The method was validated using ICH guidelines and the results indicate it can be used for the rapid analysis of commercially available TB FDC formulations containing the active pharmaceutical ingredients, API. The method is precise, sensitive and has the necessary selectivity for use during formulation development and optimisation studies for a combination of rifampicin, isoniazid and pyrazinamide. Initially formulation activities were undertaken with rifampicin and isoniazid for the development of an approach to enhance the effective delivery of these compounds. The characterisation of rifampicin and isoniazid was undertaken using spectroscopic, thermal and microscopic analysis. The studies revealed that the compounds are crystalline and exhibit distinct characteristic sharp peaks in X-ray diffractograms and Differential Scanning Calorimetry thermograms. The thermograms, 13C Nuclear Magnetic Resonance and Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy results identified that rifampicin occurs as the form II polymorph however, as there are no significant biopharmaceutic differences between the polymorphic forms of rifampicin this information was used for identification purposes only. The results were used as baseline data for comparative purposes to monitor changes that may occur when rifampicin and isoniazid are used in formulation development, dosage form manufacture and characterisation activities for a FDC technology designed to deliver both compounds simultaneously. Hydroxypropylmethylcellulose acetate succinate (HPMC-AS) and Eudragit® L100 polymers were successfully used for manufacture of isoniazid loaded gastric-resistant sustained release microspheres using an o/o solvent emulsification and evaporation approach. A Hybrid experimental design was used to investigate the influence of input variables viz., homogenisation speed and amount of HPMC-AS and Eudragit® L100 on gastric-resistance, INH release and encapsulation efficiency. The approach of using coating polymers viz., HPMC-AS and Eudragit® L100, to manufacture gastric resistant sustained release microspheres of isoniazid is unique and was efficient for preventing the release of isoniazid in an acidic environment. Only 0.523 % isoniazid was released from the optimised formulation after 2 h exposure to pH 1.2 0.1 M HCl suggesting there is also the possibility of minimising the accelerated degradation of rifampicin that occurs in the presence of isoniazid in acidic media. The microspheres also exhibited sustained release properties without burst release in pH 6.8 0.1 M phosphate buffer as < 5 % isoniazid was released at 0.5 h and only 11 % isoniazid was released at 2 h. The release of isoniazid was sustained over the entire period of dissolution testing with > 85 % isoniazid released at 24 h, implying that the majority of encapsulated isoniazid would be available for absorption. The manufacturing process resulted in the production of hard spherical particles and particle size analysis revealed that the microspheres ranged between 415.76 ± 76.93 μm and 903.35 ± 197.10 μm in diameter. The microspheres exhibited excellent flow properties attributed to the spherical nature of particles. Carr‟s index (CI) was 4.934 ± 0.775 % and the Hausner ratio (HR) was 1.148 ± 0.033 indicating good packability of the microspheres that would help in achieving weight and content uniformity of capsule dosage units. The manufacturing process however produced a low % yield suggesting that scale up difficulties may be encountered. However the high encapsulation efficiency observed may counter the challenges associated with the low yield. The DSC thermograms and FT Raman spectra of 1:1 mixtures of isoniazid, excipients and the microspheres did not reveal any potential detrimental interactions. Microporous floating sustained release microspheres for the delivery of rifampicin in the stomach have been successfully manufactured using emulsification and a diffusion/evaporation process. A novel approach using solvent mixture of acetone and dichloromethane that has not been reported for the manufacture of rifampicin microspheres was successfully used and resulted in the formation of a stable emulsion and the manufacture of rifampicin-loaded microspheres with uniform characteristics. In addition the manufacturing process was shorter than most other reported methods. A Box-Behnken experimental design was successfully used to study the influence of ethylcellulose, Eudragit® RLPO and d-glucose content on the floating properties, encapsulation efficiency and % yield of microspheres. The optimised formulation did not yield desired floating characteristics as the % buoyancy was low and floating lag times were high. The optimised formulation was modified by addition of NaHCO3 to increase the % buoyancy and reduce the floating lag time. Rifampicin release from the microspheres of the modified batch was 87.10 % at 12 h and the microspheres exhibited a % buoyancy of 87.66 ± 1.28 % (n = 6) and floating lag time of 15 ± 3.2 (n = 6) seconds. The microspheres remained buoyant for up to 12 h and an encapsulation efficiency of 88.26 ± 1.25 % was achieved. SEM images of microspheres following exposure to dissolution fluid revealed that the microspheres had numerous pores on their surface. The mean particle size distribution ranged between 423.19 ± 121.86 μm to 620.07 ± 102.67 μm. The microspheres exhibited similar flow characteristics to isoniazid microspheres with a CI of 1.422 ± 0.074 %, and HR of 1.034 ± 0.002. The excellent flow characteristics indicate that filling of the microspheres into hard gelatin capsules was unlikely to pose a challenge in respect of producing a product with uniform content. Rifampicin-excipient compatibility studies did not reveal any potential or significant interactions suggesting that the excipients used for the manufacture of the microspheres were compatible, although long term stability studies would be required to ascertain this is, indeed the case. The microporous floating sustained release microspheres manufactured in these studies has the potential to increase the bioavailability of rifampicin as they may be retained in the stomach where the solubility of rifampicin is high and from which absorption is best achieved. The degradation of rifampicin after 12 h dissolution testing in pH 1.2 0.1 M HCl in the presence of isoniazid gastric-resistant sustained release microspheres was only 4.44%. These results indicate that the degradation of rifampicin in the presence of isoniazid in acidic media can be overcome by encapsulation of both active pharmaceutical ingredients in a manner that ensure release in different segments of the gastrointestinal tract. The use of sustained release microporous gastroretentive rifampicin microspheres in combination with sustained release isoniazid gastric-resistant microspheres revealed that accelerated degradation of rifampicin in the presence of isoniazid is reduced significantly when using this approach and a FDC of rifampicin and isoniazid microspheres has the potential to improve the bioavailability of rifampicin thereby enhancing therapeutic outcomes. In vivo studies would be required to confirm the potential benefits of using this approach to deliver rifampicin in combination with isoniazid. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Pharmacy, Pharmacy, 2018
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
Development and assessment of gastric-retentive sustained release metronidazole microcapsules
- Authors: Makan, Anjana
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Metronidazole , Drug delivery systems , Helicobacter pylori , High performance liquid chromatography , Gas chromatography , Drugs , Drugs Controlled release
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/59240 , vital:27491
- Description: Helicobacter pylori is one of the most common pathogenic bacterial infections and is the leading cause of gastritis, gastroduodenal ulcer disease and gastric cancers. Studies have revealed the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori is high in many countries around the globe. Although Helicobacter pylori is highly sensitive to antimicrobial agents in vitro the clinical eradication rate of the disease is still low. The instability of API at gastric pH, low concentration of API in the gastric mucosa and short gastric residence times are the main reasons for poor eradication rates. The high prevalence rate of this disease necessitates the design and development of gastric-retentive site specific oral dosage forms for the optimized delivery of existing therapeutic molecules and may be an approach to improving the eradication rate of Helicobacter pylori. Metronidazole (MTZ) is a 5-nitroimidazole derivative that exhibits antibiotic and antiprotozoal activity. MTZ is used in combination with other compounds for the treatment of Helicobacter pylori in peptic ulcer disease. MTZ is a potential candidate for inclusion in a sustained release gastric-retentive delivery system that acts in the stomach and since it is unstable in the intestinal/colonic environment enhancing gastric residence time would be a therapeutic advantage. MTZ is a cost-effective therapy that exhibits good anti-microbial activity and has a favourable pharmacokinetic profile. A sustained release gastric-retentive formulation is therefore proposed as an approach to enhance the local delivery of MTZ and improve treatment outcomes for patients infected with Helicobacter pylori. A stability indicating Reversed-Phase High Performance Liquid Chromatography (RP- HPLC) method for the quantitation of MTZ in pharmaceutical dosage forms was developed and optimised using a Central Composite Design (CCD) approach. The RP-HPLC method was found to be linear, accurate, precise, sensitive, selective, and was applied to the analysis of MTZ in commercially available medicines. Preformulation studies were conducted as preparative work prior to manufacture gastric- retentive sustained release MTZ microcapsules. The experiments conducted were tailored for the development of sustained release MTZ microcapsules using a solvent evaporation method. The particle size and shape of the microcapsules was investigated using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). MTZ- excipient compatibility studies were performed using Fourier Transform Infra-red Spectroscopy (FTIR), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD). The results revealed that no definite interaction between MTZ and intended excipients to be used for manufacture of MTZ formulations occurred. A solvent evaporation procedure was used for the manufacture of MTZ microcapsules. Preliminary formulations were manufactured using two different grades of Methocel® at various levels. In addition the impact of processing parameters on performance was also investigated. The formulations were assessed in terms of in vitro release, buoyancy, yield, encapsulation efficiency and microcapsule size. Formulation optimisation was undertaken using a CCD approach and numerical optimisation was used to predict an optimised formulation composition that would produce minimal initial MTZ release, maximum MTZ release at 12 hours and maximum buoyancy, encapsulation efficiency and yield. The kinetics of MTZ release from microcapsules was established by fitting in vitro release data to different mathematical models. Higuchi model and first-order model appeared to best fit the data as majority of the formulation batches had highest R2 values for these models. Short-term stability assessment of the optimised formulation was established by undertaking stability studies at 25°C/60% RH and 40°C/75%RH. No significant changes in any of the CQA were observed over 30 days of stability testing. A gas chromatographic (GC) method was developed and validated for the quantitation of residual acetone and n-hexane. The optimised formulation contained 213.60 ppm/g acetone and 25.23 ppm/g n-hexane which are well below the limits set for residual solvents. In conclusion, gastric-retentive sustained release MTZ microcapsules with potential for further development and optimisation have been successfully developed and assessed in these studies. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Pharmacy, Pharmacy, 2017
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Makan, Anjana
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Metronidazole , Drug delivery systems , Helicobacter pylori , High performance liquid chromatography , Gas chromatography , Drugs , Drugs Controlled release
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/59240 , vital:27491
- Description: Helicobacter pylori is one of the most common pathogenic bacterial infections and is the leading cause of gastritis, gastroduodenal ulcer disease and gastric cancers. Studies have revealed the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori is high in many countries around the globe. Although Helicobacter pylori is highly sensitive to antimicrobial agents in vitro the clinical eradication rate of the disease is still low. The instability of API at gastric pH, low concentration of API in the gastric mucosa and short gastric residence times are the main reasons for poor eradication rates. The high prevalence rate of this disease necessitates the design and development of gastric-retentive site specific oral dosage forms for the optimized delivery of existing therapeutic molecules and may be an approach to improving the eradication rate of Helicobacter pylori. Metronidazole (MTZ) is a 5-nitroimidazole derivative that exhibits antibiotic and antiprotozoal activity. MTZ is used in combination with other compounds for the treatment of Helicobacter pylori in peptic ulcer disease. MTZ is a potential candidate for inclusion in a sustained release gastric-retentive delivery system that acts in the stomach and since it is unstable in the intestinal/colonic environment enhancing gastric residence time would be a therapeutic advantage. MTZ is a cost-effective therapy that exhibits good anti-microbial activity and has a favourable pharmacokinetic profile. A sustained release gastric-retentive formulation is therefore proposed as an approach to enhance the local delivery of MTZ and improve treatment outcomes for patients infected with Helicobacter pylori. A stability indicating Reversed-Phase High Performance Liquid Chromatography (RP- HPLC) method for the quantitation of MTZ in pharmaceutical dosage forms was developed and optimised using a Central Composite Design (CCD) approach. The RP-HPLC method was found to be linear, accurate, precise, sensitive, selective, and was applied to the analysis of MTZ in commercially available medicines. Preformulation studies were conducted as preparative work prior to manufacture gastric- retentive sustained release MTZ microcapsules. The experiments conducted were tailored for the development of sustained release MTZ microcapsules using a solvent evaporation method. The particle size and shape of the microcapsules was investigated using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). MTZ- excipient compatibility studies were performed using Fourier Transform Infra-red Spectroscopy (FTIR), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD). The results revealed that no definite interaction between MTZ and intended excipients to be used for manufacture of MTZ formulations occurred. A solvent evaporation procedure was used for the manufacture of MTZ microcapsules. Preliminary formulations were manufactured using two different grades of Methocel® at various levels. In addition the impact of processing parameters on performance was also investigated. The formulations were assessed in terms of in vitro release, buoyancy, yield, encapsulation efficiency and microcapsule size. Formulation optimisation was undertaken using a CCD approach and numerical optimisation was used to predict an optimised formulation composition that would produce minimal initial MTZ release, maximum MTZ release at 12 hours and maximum buoyancy, encapsulation efficiency and yield. The kinetics of MTZ release from microcapsules was established by fitting in vitro release data to different mathematical models. Higuchi model and first-order model appeared to best fit the data as majority of the formulation batches had highest R2 values for these models. Short-term stability assessment of the optimised formulation was established by undertaking stability studies at 25°C/60% RH and 40°C/75%RH. No significant changes in any of the CQA were observed over 30 days of stability testing. A gas chromatographic (GC) method was developed and validated for the quantitation of residual acetone and n-hexane. The optimised formulation contained 213.60 ppm/g acetone and 25.23 ppm/g n-hexane which are well below the limits set for residual solvents. In conclusion, gastric-retentive sustained release MTZ microcapsules with potential for further development and optimisation have been successfully developed and assessed in these studies. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Pharmacy, Pharmacy, 2017
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
Formulation, development and assessment of efavirenz-loaded lipid nanocarriers
- Authors: Makoni, Pedzisai Anotida
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Nanomedicine , Drug delivery systems , Antiretroviral agents Psychotropic effects , AIDS dementia complex
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/209981 , vital:47448
- Description: The feasibility of incorporating efavirenz (EFV) into innovative solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN) and nanostructured lipid carriers (NLC) using the hot high-pressure homogenization (HHPH) technique was investigated in an attempt to address the shortcomings in therapy associated with the use of conventional dosage forms. The shortcomings include the unpalatable taste of API in solution, instability in the presence of light when in solution and psychiatric side effects of the API. In particular, sustained release approaches may reduce or limit the incidence of adverse psychiatric effects of EFV and alleviate Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS)-related complications such as AIDS Dementia Complex (ADC) in patients, ultimately improving their quality of life. Prior to initiating pre-formulation, formulation development and optimization studies of EFV-loaded SLN and/or NLC, Response Surface Methodology (RSM) in conjunction with central composite design (CCD), was used to develop and validate suitable methods for the quantitative determination of EFV in pharmaceutical formulations and for monitoring EFV release from SLN and/or NLC in vitro. Simple, accurate, precise, sensitive and stabilityindicating reversed phase-high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) methods with UV and electrochemical (EC) detection were developed, validated and optimized for in vitro analysis of EFV in formulations. On the basis of risk-to-benefit ratio the RP-HPLC method with UV detection was selected as the most suitable for the quantitative determination of EFV in pharmaceutical formulations, and was applied to in vitro release studies of EFV from SLN and/or NLC. Pre-formulation studies were undertaken to investigate the thermal stability of EFV so as to facilitate the selection of lipid excipients for the manufacture of nanocarriers, and to establish their compatibility with EFV. It was found that EFV was thermostable up to a temperature of approximately 200°C, indicating that HHPH could be used for the manufacture of EFV-loaded SLN and/or NLC. Lipid screening revealed that EFV is highly soluble in solid and liquid lipids, with glyceryl monostearate and Transcutol® HP showing the best solubilizing potential for EFV. Glyceryl monostearate exists in a stable β-modification prior to exposure to heat, but exists in the α-polymorphic modification following exposure to heat. It was established that the addition of Transcutol® HP to glyceryl monostearate revealed the co-existence of the α- and β’-polymorphic modifications, thereby revealing the existence of the modifications in NLC produced from the optimum lipid combination. Furthermore, an investigation of binary mixtures of EFV/glyceryl monostearate and glyceryl monostearate/Transcutol® HP, in addition to eutectic mixtures of EFV, glyceryl monostearate and Transcutol® HP, revealed no interaction between EFV and the lipids selected for the production of the nanocarriers. Due to the significantly higher solubility of EFV in Transcutol® HP than in to glyceryl monostearate, NLC are most likely to have a higher LC and EE than SLN. In addition, the existence of both the α- and β’-polymorphic modifications in the binary mixture of the lipid implies that EFV expulsion on prolonged storage is unlikely to occur from NLC when compared to SLN. Consequently formulation development and optimization studies of SLN and NLC were performed to investigate the potential to deliver EFV from a novel technology with an appropriate LC and EE for EFV. Tween®80 was selected for use in these formulations as the use of this surfactant facilitates the targeting of nanocarriers to the CNS. RSM in conjunction with a Box-Behnken Design (BBD) was used to establish the effects of process variables, such as number of homogenization cycles and pressure, in addition to formulation variables such as amount of EFV and Tween®80 on the particle size (PS), polydispersity index (PDI), zeta potential (ZP), visual assessment (VA) and release rate (RR) of EFV after 24 hours. In addition the LC and EE, degree of crystallinity and lipid modification, shape and surface morphology of the optimized batches were investigated to ensure that EFV-loaded SLN and NLC of desirable quality were produced. On the day of manufacture the mean PS and PDI of EFV-loaded SLN was 59.00 ± 23.16 nm and 0.382 ± 0.054 respectively. The mean PS and PDI of EFV-loaded NLC was 34.73 ± 0.7709 nm and 0.394 ± 0.027 respectively. The formulations were in the nanometer range and exhibited a narrow particle size distribution, as indicated by the PDI values. The ZP values for optimized SLN and NLC generated on the day of manufacture using HPLC grade water as the dispersion medium were -32.5 ± 4.99 mV and -22.4 ± 3.72 mV respectively. In addition the optimized batches of SLN and NLC revealed a decrease in crystallinity in comparison to bulk lipid material. DSC, WAXS and FT-IR revealed that EFV was molecularly dispersed in the nanocarriers. In addition EFV-loaded SLN existed in a single α-polymorphic form, whereas EFV-loaded NLC exhibited the co-existence of α- and β’-polymorphic forms. Generally SLN and NLC were spherically shaped when viewed under transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). On the day of manufacture the EE and LC of EFVloaded SLN was found to be 96.77 ± 0.453 % and 9.68 ± 1.772 % respectively. The EE and LC of EFV-loaded NLC was 99.93 ± 0.413 and 9.995 ± 0.672 respectively. The release profiles for the optimized formulations of SLN and NLC exhibited an initial burst release over the first 0-3 hours of testing, after which the release was sustained for up to 24 hours. The cumulative % EFV released over 24 hours was higher from SLN (91.5±3.423 %) than that observed for NLC (73.6±4.34 %). Stability studies performed for 8 weeks on the optimized batches of the SLN and the NLC were also conducted so as to ensure product quality. The formulations were assessed in terms of parameters considered benchmarks of stability, and included ZP, PS, PDI, LC and EE. Generally these parameters remained unchanged following storage for 8 weeks at 25°C/60% RH but showed considerable changes following storage for 8 weeks at 40°C/75% RH. These studies reveal that SLN and NLC when stored at 25°C/60% RH have the potential to be used as colloidal delivery systems for EFV that have the potential to protect EFV from photodegradation and sustain release into brain tissue. The latter will ultimately reduce or limit the incidence of adverse psychiatric effects and potentially alleviate AIDS-related complications such as ADC in patients with HIV/AIDS, ultimately improving their quality of life. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Pharmacy, Pharmacy, 2014
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
- Authors: Makoni, Pedzisai Anotida
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Nanomedicine , Drug delivery systems , Antiretroviral agents Psychotropic effects , AIDS dementia complex
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/209981 , vital:47448
- Description: The feasibility of incorporating efavirenz (EFV) into innovative solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN) and nanostructured lipid carriers (NLC) using the hot high-pressure homogenization (HHPH) technique was investigated in an attempt to address the shortcomings in therapy associated with the use of conventional dosage forms. The shortcomings include the unpalatable taste of API in solution, instability in the presence of light when in solution and psychiatric side effects of the API. In particular, sustained release approaches may reduce or limit the incidence of adverse psychiatric effects of EFV and alleviate Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS)-related complications such as AIDS Dementia Complex (ADC) in patients, ultimately improving their quality of life. Prior to initiating pre-formulation, formulation development and optimization studies of EFV-loaded SLN and/or NLC, Response Surface Methodology (RSM) in conjunction with central composite design (CCD), was used to develop and validate suitable methods for the quantitative determination of EFV in pharmaceutical formulations and for monitoring EFV release from SLN and/or NLC in vitro. Simple, accurate, precise, sensitive and stabilityindicating reversed phase-high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) methods with UV and electrochemical (EC) detection were developed, validated and optimized for in vitro analysis of EFV in formulations. On the basis of risk-to-benefit ratio the RP-HPLC method with UV detection was selected as the most suitable for the quantitative determination of EFV in pharmaceutical formulations, and was applied to in vitro release studies of EFV from SLN and/or NLC. Pre-formulation studies were undertaken to investigate the thermal stability of EFV so as to facilitate the selection of lipid excipients for the manufacture of nanocarriers, and to establish their compatibility with EFV. It was found that EFV was thermostable up to a temperature of approximately 200°C, indicating that HHPH could be used for the manufacture of EFV-loaded SLN and/or NLC. Lipid screening revealed that EFV is highly soluble in solid and liquid lipids, with glyceryl monostearate and Transcutol® HP showing the best solubilizing potential for EFV. Glyceryl monostearate exists in a stable β-modification prior to exposure to heat, but exists in the α-polymorphic modification following exposure to heat. It was established that the addition of Transcutol® HP to glyceryl monostearate revealed the co-existence of the α- and β’-polymorphic modifications, thereby revealing the existence of the modifications in NLC produced from the optimum lipid combination. Furthermore, an investigation of binary mixtures of EFV/glyceryl monostearate and glyceryl monostearate/Transcutol® HP, in addition to eutectic mixtures of EFV, glyceryl monostearate and Transcutol® HP, revealed no interaction between EFV and the lipids selected for the production of the nanocarriers. Due to the significantly higher solubility of EFV in Transcutol® HP than in to glyceryl monostearate, NLC are most likely to have a higher LC and EE than SLN. In addition, the existence of both the α- and β’-polymorphic modifications in the binary mixture of the lipid implies that EFV expulsion on prolonged storage is unlikely to occur from NLC when compared to SLN. Consequently formulation development and optimization studies of SLN and NLC were performed to investigate the potential to deliver EFV from a novel technology with an appropriate LC and EE for EFV. Tween®80 was selected for use in these formulations as the use of this surfactant facilitates the targeting of nanocarriers to the CNS. RSM in conjunction with a Box-Behnken Design (BBD) was used to establish the effects of process variables, such as number of homogenization cycles and pressure, in addition to formulation variables such as amount of EFV and Tween®80 on the particle size (PS), polydispersity index (PDI), zeta potential (ZP), visual assessment (VA) and release rate (RR) of EFV after 24 hours. In addition the LC and EE, degree of crystallinity and lipid modification, shape and surface morphology of the optimized batches were investigated to ensure that EFV-loaded SLN and NLC of desirable quality were produced. On the day of manufacture the mean PS and PDI of EFV-loaded SLN was 59.00 ± 23.16 nm and 0.382 ± 0.054 respectively. The mean PS and PDI of EFV-loaded NLC was 34.73 ± 0.7709 nm and 0.394 ± 0.027 respectively. The formulations were in the nanometer range and exhibited a narrow particle size distribution, as indicated by the PDI values. The ZP values for optimized SLN and NLC generated on the day of manufacture using HPLC grade water as the dispersion medium were -32.5 ± 4.99 mV and -22.4 ± 3.72 mV respectively. In addition the optimized batches of SLN and NLC revealed a decrease in crystallinity in comparison to bulk lipid material. DSC, WAXS and FT-IR revealed that EFV was molecularly dispersed in the nanocarriers. In addition EFV-loaded SLN existed in a single α-polymorphic form, whereas EFV-loaded NLC exhibited the co-existence of α- and β’-polymorphic forms. Generally SLN and NLC were spherically shaped when viewed under transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). On the day of manufacture the EE and LC of EFVloaded SLN was found to be 96.77 ± 0.453 % and 9.68 ± 1.772 % respectively. The EE and LC of EFV-loaded NLC was 99.93 ± 0.413 and 9.995 ± 0.672 respectively. The release profiles for the optimized formulations of SLN and NLC exhibited an initial burst release over the first 0-3 hours of testing, after which the release was sustained for up to 24 hours. The cumulative % EFV released over 24 hours was higher from SLN (91.5±3.423 %) than that observed for NLC (73.6±4.34 %). Stability studies performed for 8 weeks on the optimized batches of the SLN and the NLC were also conducted so as to ensure product quality. The formulations were assessed in terms of parameters considered benchmarks of stability, and included ZP, PS, PDI, LC and EE. Generally these parameters remained unchanged following storage for 8 weeks at 25°C/60% RH but showed considerable changes following storage for 8 weeks at 40°C/75% RH. These studies reveal that SLN and NLC when stored at 25°C/60% RH have the potential to be used as colloidal delivery systems for EFV that have the potential to protect EFV from photodegradation and sustain release into brain tissue. The latter will ultimately reduce or limit the incidence of adverse psychiatric effects and potentially alleviate AIDS-related complications such as ADC in patients with HIV/AIDS, ultimately improving their quality of life. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Pharmacy, Pharmacy, 2014
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- Date Issued: 2014
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