Paclitaxel is an antineoplastic drug used against a variety of tumors, but its low aqueous solubility and active removal caused by P-glycoprotein in the intestinal cells hinder its oral administration. In our study, new type of stabilized Pluronic micelles were developed and evaluated as carriers for paclitaxel delivery via oral or intravenous route. The pre-stabilized micelles were loaded with paclitaxel by simple solvent/evaporation technique achieving high

This article aims to provide an overview of the multiple gains in incorporating cyclodextrins in poly(anhydride) nanoparticles, including improvement of their bioadhesive capability, the loading of lipophilic drugs and the effect on efflux membrane proteins and cytochrome P450. The combination between bioadhesive nanoparticles and P-gp inhibitors without pharmacological activity (i.e., cyclodextrins) may be useful to promote the oral bioavailability of drugs ascribed to Class IV of the BCS.

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Targeted delivery of dexamethasone to inflamed tissues using nanoparticles is much-needed to improve its efficacy while reducing side effects. To drastically improve dexamethasone loading and prevent burst release once injected intravenously, a lipophilic prodrug dexamethasone palmitate (DXP) was encapsulated into poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide)-polyethylene glycol (PLGA-PEG) nanoparticles (NPs). DXP-loaded PLGA-PEG NPs (DXP-NPs) of about 150 nm with a drug loading as high as 7.5% exhibited low hemolytic profile and cytotoxicity. DXP-NPs were able to inhibit the LPS-induced release of inflammatory cytokines in macrophages. After an intravenous injection to mice, dexamethasone (DXM) pharmacokinetic profile was also significantly improved. The concentration of DXM in the plasma of healthy mice remained high up to 18 h, much longer than the commercial soluble drug dexamethasone phosphate (DSP). Biodistribution studies showed lower DXM concentrations in the liver, kidneys, and lungs when DXP-NPs were administered as compared with the soluble drug. Histology analysis revealed an improvement in the knee structure and reduction of cell infiltration in animals treated with the encapsulated DXP compared with the soluble DSP or non-treated animals. In summary, the encapsulation of a lipidic prodrug of dexamethasone into PLGA-PEG NPs appears as a promising strategy to improve the pharmacological profile and reduce joint inflammation in a murine model of rheumatoid arthritis.

The oral route is preferred by patients for drug administration due to its convenience, resulting in improved compliance. Unfortunately, for a number of drugs (e.g., anticancer drugs), this route of administration remains a challenge. Oral chemotherapy may be an attractive option and especially appropriate for chronic treatment of cancer. However, this route of administration is particularly complicated for the administration of anticancer drugs ascribed to Class IV of the Biopharmaceutical Classification System. This group of compounds is characterized by low aqueous solubility and low intestinal permeability. This review focuses on the use of cyclodextrins alone or in combination with bioadhesive nanoparticles for oral delivery of drugs. The state-of-the-art technology and challenges in this area is also discussed.

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RésuméLe paclitaxel est un agent anticancéreux utilisé en solution pour perfusion intraveineuse dans le traitement de différents types de cancer. Dans les dernières années, de nombreuses stratégies ont été proposées pour le développement d'une formulation orale de cet anticancéreux. Toutefois, la faible solubilité aqueuse du paclitaxel et le fait qu'il soit un substrat de la pglycoprotéine intestinale et du complexe enzymatique cytochrome P450 compliquent énormément le problème. Dans ce travail, des nanoparticules pégylées avec des propriétés mucopénétrantes ont été développées pour acheminer le paclitaxel jusqu'à la surface des entérocytes. Des particules présentant une taille moyenne d'environ 180 nm et un contenu en paclitaxel proche de 15% ont été préparées. Une étude pharmacocinétique chez la souris a montré que les nanoparticules permettent d'obtenir des niveaux plasmatiques efficaces et soutenus du paclitaxel pendant 3 jours. Au total, la biodisponibilité relative orale du paclitaxel, encapsulé dans des nanoparticules pégylées avec du PEG 2000, est proche du 85%. Chez la souris, sur un modèle de tumeur sous-cutanée, ces mêmes nanoparticules administrées par voie orale, une fois tous les trois jours, ont permis d'obtenir une efficacité similaire à celle offerte par le médicament commercialisé administré par voie intraveineuse journellement pendant 9 jours. L'ensemble des résultats tend à démontrer que les nanoparticules développées sont capables de traverser la couche du mucus intestinal et d'atteindre, ainsi, la surface des entérocytes. Les molécules de PEG favorisent l'adhésion des particules à la surface des cellules, évitent la métabolisation du paclitaxel et accroissent son absorption. Mots-clés : nanoparticules, paclitaxel, orale, poly (éthylène glycol), libération contrôlée SummaryPaclitaxel is an anticancer drug used as solution for perfusion for the treatment of certain types of cancers. In the last years, a number of strategies have been proposed for the development of an oral formulation of this drug. However, this task is quite complicated due to the poor aqueous solubility of paclitaxel as well as the fact that this compound is substrate of the intestinal P-glycoprotein and the cytochrome P450 enzymatic complex. In this work, we have developed pegylated nanoparticles with muco-penetrating properties in order to conduct paclitaxel till the surface of the enterocyte. These nanoparticles displayed a size of about 180 nm and a drug loading close to 15% by weight. The pharmacokinetic study in mice has shown that these nanoparticles were capable to offer therapeutic plasma levels of paclitaxel up to 72 hours. In addition, the oral relative bioavailability of paclitaxel when loaded in nanoparticles pegylated with poly(ethylene glycol) 2000 (PEG) was found to be 85%. In a subcutaneous model of tumour in mice, these pegylated nanoparticles administered orally every 3 days have demonstrated a similar efficacy than Taxol administered intravenously every day during 9 days. 3All of these results suggested ...