Introduction and aim: Olmesartan medoxomil (OLM) is an antihypertensive drug with low oral bioavailability due to extensive first-pass metabolism. This study aimed to prepare transetho somes (TEs) for enhancing the transdermal delivery of OLM to avoid its oral problems. Methods: TE formulae were prepared utilizing 5 1 .3 1 full factorial design using various surfactants (SAAs) and different phospholipid-to-SAA ratios. The formulae were characterized regarding their entrapment efficiency percentage (EE%), particle size (PS), polydispersity index (PDI), zeta potential (ZP), and the amount of drug released after 6 hours (Q6h). Design Expert ® software was employed to select the optimum formula. Results: The optimum formula (TE14) had an EE% of 58.50%±1.30%, PS of 222.60±2.50 nm, PDI of 0.11±0.06, ZP of-20.80±0.30 mV, and Q6h of 67.40%±0.20%. In addition, TE14 was compared to transferosomes (TFs) in terms of elasticity and was found to show higher deformability index. Further, evaluation of ex vivo permeation using both rat and shed snake skin showed higher permeability of TE14 compared to TFs and OLM suspension. Confocal laser scanning microscopy confirmed the capability of the fluoro-labeled TE14 to penetrate deep within the skin, while the histopathological study confirmed its safety. TE14 successfully maintained normal blood pressure values of rats up to 24 hours. Moreover, TE14 showed superiority in dermatokinetic study when compared with drug suspension. Conclusion: Taken together, the obtained results confirmed the potential of employing TEs as a successful carrier for the transdermal delivery of OLM.

Introduction The intention of this work was to load olmesartan medoxomil (OLM), a sparsely water soluble antihypertensive bioactive with low oral bioavailability (26%), into PEGylated bilosomes (PBs) for augmenting its transdermal delivery. PBs contain PEGylated single chain edge activator besides the components of traditional bilosomes (Span 60, cholesterol and bile salts). The PEG gives further resilience to vesicle membrane and is speculated to augment both permeability and bioavailability of OLM. Methods A 2 4 factorial experiment was constructed to inspect the impact of diverse variables on vesicles’ features and sort out the optimal formula adopting Design Expert ® software utilizing thin film hydration technique. Vesicles’ evaluation was done by finding out entrapment efficiency percent (EE%), particle size (PS), polydispersity index (PDI), zeta potential (ZP) and amount of drug released after 6 hrs (Q6h). The optimal formula was selected and characterized for further investigations. Results The optimal formula (PB15) showed spherical vesicles with EE% of 72.49±0.38%, PS of 559.30±10.70 nm, PDI of 0.57±0.15, ZP of −38.35±0.65 mV and Q6h of 59.60±0.24%. PB15 showed higher deformability index (28.39±5.71 g) compared to traditional bilosomes (5.88±0.90 g) and transethosomes (14.94±0.63 g). Further, PB15 showed superior skin permeation from rat’s skin relative to the drug suspension. Moreover, confocal laser scanning microscopy examination revealed efficient penetration of the fluoro-labeled PB15 through skin. Histopathological study ensured the safety of PB15. In addition, in-vivo skin deposition studies showed higher OLM deposition in rat’s skin from PB15 compared to transethosomes and OLM suspension. Furthermore, pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic studies performed using male Wistar rats and male Albino rabbits, respectively, showed the superiority of PB15 over oral tablets. PB15 was found to have significantly higher AUC 0–48 and AUC 0–∞ relative to the oral tablets. As well, the relative bioavailability of PB15 was found to be 235.04%. Conclusion Overall, the obtained results confirmed the creditable effect of PB15 for transdermal delivery.

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Fenticonazole nitrate (FTN) is a potent antifungal drug adopted in the treatment of vaginal candidiasis. It has inadequate aqueous solubility hence, novel ultra-deformable liposomes ‘Terpesomes’ (TPs) were developed that might prevail over FTN poor solubility besides TPs might abstain the obstacles of mucus invasion. TPs were assembled by thin-film hydration then optimized by Box Behnken design utilizing terpenes ratio (X 1 ), sodium deoxycholate amount (X 2 ), and ethanol concentration (X 3 ) as independent variable, whereas their impact was inspected for entrapment efficiency (Y 1 ), particle size (Y 2 ), and polydispersity index (Y 3 ). Design Expert ® was bestowed to select the optimal TP for more studies. The optimal TP had entrapment efficiency of 62.18 ± 1.39%, particle size of 310.00 ± 8.16 nm, polydispersity index of 0.20 ± 0.10, and zeta potential of −10.19 ± 0.2.00 mV. Elasticity results were greater in the optimal TP related to classical bilosomes. Further, ex vivo permeation illustrated tremendous permeability from the optimal TP correlated to classical bilosomes, and FTN suspension. Besides, in vivo assessment displayed significant inhibition effect in rats from FTN-TPs gel compared to FTN gel. The antifungal potency with undermost histopathological variation was detected in rats treated with FTN-TPs gel. Overall, the acquired findings verified the potency of utilizing FTN-TPs gel for treatment of vaginal candidiasis.

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Aim To compare the ability of both terpesomes (TPs) and leciplex (LPs) loaded moxifloxacin hydrochloride (MOX) for enhancing ocular drug conveyance. Methods Two separate 2 1 .3 1 full-factorial trials were established to determine the influence of multiple variables upon nanovesicles properties and select the optimized formulae using Design Expert ® software. The thin-film hydration method was used to formulate TPs, while the single-step procedure was used for LPs. All formulae were characterized for their entrapment efficiency percent (EE%), particle size distribution (PS), polydispersity index (PDI), and zeta potential (ZP). Then, the optimized formulae were selected, evaluated, and compared for additional assessments. Results The optimized formulae TP4 and LP1 showed EE% of 84.14±0.21 and 78.47±0.17%, PS of 578.65±5.65 and 102.41±3.39 nm, PDI of 0.56±0.04 and 0.28±0.01, ZP of −12.50±0.30 and 32.50±0.50 mV, respectively. Further, LP1 showed enhanced corneal permeation across cow cornea compared to MOX solution and TP4. Besides, confocal laser scanning microscopy assessment viewed valuable infiltration from the fluoro-labeled LP through corneal layers compared to TP. LP1 showed spherical morphology and, its ability to adhere to mucus membranes was justified. Further, LP1 showed superiority over MOX solution in biofilm inhibition and eradication in addition to the treatment of infected mice with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus without any inflammatory response. Finally, the histopathological study verified the harmlessness and biocompatibility of the assembled LPs. Conclusion The gained outcomes confirmed the capability of utilizing LPs as a successful nanovesicle for the ocular conveyance of MOX over TPs and MOX solution.

The current investigation aimed for loading fenticonazole nitrate (FTN), an antifungal agent with low aqueous solubility, into trans-novasomes (TNs) for management of tinea corporis topically. TNs contain Brij ® as an edge activator besides the components of novasomes (cholesterol, Span 60, and oleic acid) owing to augment the topical delivery of FTN. TNs were fabricated applying ethanol injection method based on D-optimal experiment. TNs were evaluated with regard to entrapment efficiency percent (EE%), particle size (PS), polydispersity index (PDI), and zeta potential (ZP). Further explorations were conducted on the optimum formulation (F7). F7 showed spherical appearance with EE%, PS, PDI, and ZP of 100.00 ± 1.10%, 358.60 ± 10.76 nm, 0.51 ± 0.004, and −30.00 ± 0.80 mV, respectively. The in silico study revealed the ability of the FTN–cholesterol complex to maintain favorable interactions throughout the molecular dynamics simulation (MDS) study. Moreover, Trichophyton mentagrophytes growth was inhibited effectively by F7 than by FTN suspension applying 2,3-bis(2-methyloxy-4-nitro-5-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium-5-carboxanilide (XTT) reduction assay. Furthermore, a clinical appraisal on patients with tinea corporis fungal lesions confirmed the superiority of F7 compared to Miconaz ® cream in the magnitude of clinical cure of tinea corporis. Thereby, TNs could be considered as promising vesicles for enhancing the antifungal potential of FTN for the topical management of tinea corporis.

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