BackgroundThe objective of the study was to formulate and to investigate the combined influence of 3 independent variables in the optimization of Polymeric lipid hybrid nanoparticles (PLHNs) (Lipomer) containing hydrophobic antifungal drug Itraconazole and to improve intestinal permeability.MethodThe Polymeric lipid hybrid nanoparticle formulation was prepared by the emulsification solvent evaporation method and 3 factor 3 level Box Behnken statistical design was used to optimize and derive a second order polynomial equation and construct contour plots to predict responses. Biodegradable Polycaprolactone, soya lecithin and Poly vinyl alcohol were used to prepare PLHNs. The independent variables selected were lipid to polymer ratio (X1) Concentration of surfactant (X2) Concentration of the drug (X3).ResultThe Box-Behnken design demonstrated the role of the derived equation and contour plots in predicting the values of dependent variables for the preparation and optimization of Itraconazole PLHNs. Itraconazole PLHNs revealed nano size (210 ± 1.8 nm) with an entrapment efficiency of 83 ± 0.6% and negative zeta potential of −11.7 mV and also enhance the permeability of itraconazole as the permeability coefficient (Papp) and the absorption enhancement ratio was higher.ConclusionThe tunable particle size, surface charge, and favourable encapsulation efficiency with a sustained drug release profile of PLHNs suggesting that it could be promising system envisioned to increase the bioavailability by improving intestinal permeability through lymphatic uptake, M cell of payer’s patch or paracellular pathway which was proven by confocal microscopy.

Nanohydrogel combines the advantages of hydrogel and nano particulate systems. Similar to the hydrogel and macrogel, nanohydrogel can protect the drug and control drug release by stimuli responsive conformation or biodegradable bond into the polymer networks. Nanohydrogel has drawn huge interest due to their potential applications, such as carrier in target-specific controlled drug delivery, absorbents, chemical/biological sensors, and bio-mimetic materials. Similar to the nanoparticles, stimuli responsive nanohydrogel can easily be delivered in the liquid form for parenteral drug delivery application. This review highlights the methods to prepare nanohydrogel based on natural and synthetic polymers for diverse applications in drug delivery. It also encompasses the drug loading and drug release mechanism of the nanohydrogel formulation and patents related to the composition and chemical methods for preparation of nanohydrogel formulation with current status in clinical trials.

The developed SCG-CSNPs can be considered as promising delivery strategy with respect to improved permeability and sustained drug release, proving importance of CSNPs as potential oral delivery system for treatment of allergic rhinitis. Hence, further studies should be performed for establishing the pharmacokinetic potential of the CSNPs.

Hydrogels are cross-linked hydrophilic polymer structures that imbibe large quantities of water or biological fluids. Hydrogels are an upcoming class of polymer-based controlled release drug delivery systems, embracing numerous biomedical and pharmaceutical applications. Hydrogels are swellable polymeric materials, and are being widely investigated as a carrier for drug delivery systems. Besides exhibiting swelling-controlled drug release, hydrogels also show stimuli responsive changes in their structural network and hence leading to the drug release. The present manuscript is concerned with the classification, method of preparation; application in drug deliveryand FDA approved market products of hydrogels with the patent review on hydrogel composition and its manufacturing process. It also highlights recent advances in hydrogel drug delivery especially stimuli-responsive hydrogel and its patents. This patent review is useful in the synthesis methods of hydrogel drug delivery and its application.

Systemic chemotherapy has been shown to produce side effects. A small fraction of the drug reaches the tumor site; other healthy organs or normal tissues get affected or damaged due to the nonspecific action of these cytotoxic agents. Furthermore, due to their short period of activity, repeat injections are often required, which can lead to the exacerbation of side effects and inconvenience. To overcome these obstacles, in this study, we developed controlled and targeted intratumoral injection. Hydrogel was prepared by physical cross-linking method; however, nanohydrogel was prepared using tip probe-sonicator method. Our results revealed that biodegradable and thermosensitive 5-fluorouracil-loaded methylcellulose nanohydrogel synthesized by physical cross-linking method may be a beneficial approach in targeting the therapeutic agent to the tumor site.