Recent Patents on Nanotechnology - Volume 16, Issue 3, 2022

Background: Dermatitis or eczema is a prevalent skin disorder worldwide and is also very common as a pediatric inflammatory skin disorder. Its succession gets worse with the multiple comorbidities which exhibit mechanisms that are poorly understood. Its management further becomes a challenge due to the limited effective treatment options available. However, the Novel Drug Delivery Systems (NDDS) along with new targeting strategies can easily bypass the issues associated with dermatitis management. If we compare the active constituents against phytoconstituents effective against dermatitis then phytoconstituents can be perceived to be more safe and gentle. Objective: Administration of NDDS of plant extract or actives displays improved absorption behavior, which helps them to permeate through lipid-rich biological membrane leading to increased bioavailability. The newer efficient discoveries related to eczema can face various exploitations. This can be intervened by the subjection of patent rights, which not only safeguard the novel works of individual(s) but also give them the opportunity to share details of their inventions with people globally. Conclusion: The present review focuses on the available research about the use of nanoformulations in the topical delivery. It further elaborates the use of different animal models as the basis to characterize the different features of dermatitis. The review also highlights the recent nanoformulations which have the ability to amplify the delivery of active agents through their incorporation in transfersomes, ethosomes, niosomes or phytosomes, etc.

Background: Nanotechnology plays an important role in various engineering fields, one of which is acoustics. Method: Here, we review the use of nanotechnology in multiple acoustic-based bioapplications, with a focus on recent patents and advances. Nanoparticles, nanorods, nanotubes, and nanofilms used in acoustic devices are discussed. We cover ultrasonic transducers, biosensors, imaging tools, nanomotors, and particle sorters. Results and Conclusion: The way these ideas help in fundamental disciplines such as medicine is shown. We believe the current work is a good collection of advances in the field.

Oleosomes are oil-containing micro-carriers of natural origin that are comprised of special oleosin proteins embedded with a monolayer of phospholipids having a triacylglycerol core. Due to their unique structure and non-toxicity in the biological system, these oil carriers are becoming very eye-catching for formulation development in the field of pharmacy. Consequently, oleosome offers emoliency, occlusivity, self-emulsification, anti-oxidant, and film-forming properties, which leads to controlled and sustained release of encapsulated bio-actives. It is also feasible to load oil-soluble ingredients, such as fragrance, vitamins (retinol), and lipophilic drug moieties inside the core. Being a natural carrier, it shows some stability issues (leakage of oil from the core, oxidation of the loaded oil, aggregation of oil droplets), which are controllable. In this review, we have focused on the various stability issues, the techniques (coating, surface modification, solvents) and how to overcome those problems, and how to load any lipophilic drug into the oil core, and we have also linked patent research works in the field of formulation development.

Background: Edible oils have gained the interest of several industrial sectors for the different health benefits they offer, such as the supply of bioactive compounds and essential fatty acids. Microencapsulation is one of the techniques that has been adopted by industries to minimize the degradation of oils, facilitating their processing. Objective: To evaluate the intellectual property related to patent documents referring to microencapsulated oils used in foods. Methods: This prospective study investigated the dynamics of patents filed in the Espacenet and National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI) databases, and it mapped technological developments in microencapsulation in comparison with scientific literature. Results: The years 2015 and 2018 showed the greatest growth in the number of patents filed in the Espacenet and INPI databases, respectively, with China leading the domains of origin, inventors, and owners of microencapsulation technology. The largest number of applications of microcapsules were observed in the food industry, and the foods containing microencapsulated oils were powdered seasonings, dairy products, rice flour, nutritional formulae, pasta, nutritional supplements, and bread. The increase in oxidative stabilities of oils was the most cited objective to microencapsulate oils. Spray drying was the most widely used microencapsulation technique, and maltodextrin, gum arabic, and modified starch were the most widely used wall materials. Conclusion: Microencapsulation of oils has been expanding over the years and increasing the possibilities of the use of microcapsules, but further investments and development of policies and incentive programs to boost this technology need to be made in less developed countries. For future perspectives, the microencapsulation technique is already a worldwide trend in the food industry, enabling the development of new products to facilitate their insertion in the consumer market.

Aim: The present study aims to develop and characterize simvastatin niosomal film for effective buccal delivery. Methods: Simvastatin niosomes were developed by film hydration technique followed by highpressure homogenization using chiller at 5°C. The simvastatin niosomes were characterized for various physicochemical parameters, and simvastatin plain and niosomal films were prepared using PEO as the base by solvent casting technique. Results: From the simvastatin niosomes suspension, the percentage assay was found in the range of 96% to 103%, particles size was found in the range of 112nm to 308nm, the zeta potential was found in the range of -9mV to -25.8mV, the %EE was found in the range of 28% to 91% and the in vitro permeation was found in the range of 43.41% to 98% respectively. The niosomal film shown superior results as compared to simvastatin plain film. The FTIR and DSC confirm the compatibility among the existed excipients. Conclusion: Niosomes alter the physicochemical properties of simvastatin by the buccal route. The prolonged permeation (96.12% up to 24hrs) of simvastatin was observed from niosomes film across the porcine buccal cavity due to the presence of CPE in the composition, which would be useful for effective buccal delivery.

Background: The aim of the present study was to formulate and characterize Nano- Structured Lipid Carriers (NLCs) of Febuxostat (FB) incorporated in the gel for the treatment of Gout. FB is a Xanthine Oxidase (XO) inhibitor drug used for chronic Gout and hyperuricemia. FB is a BCS class II drug, therefore, water solubility is very poor, and due to its poor solubility and wettability, it leads to poor dissolution. The hot high-pressure homogenization technique was used in this study to improve the physicochemical property of FB. Methods: The carbopol 934 was used to prepare NLCs gel of FB. The NLCs of FB was prepared in different drug: polymer ratios w/w (2:1), (1:1), (1:2), (1:3) and (1:4) with solid lipid (Stearic Acid) and liquid lipid (Oleic acid). The preformulation study of FB included FTIR study melting point, standard calibration curves, and drug-polymer interaction study. Results: The NLCs (1:3) showed high entrapment and drug content. The NLCs gel formulation was 87% released within 6 hours in a controlled manner. Conclusion: NLCs gel modifies the drug release, increases the bioavailability, and reduces side effects of FB. The prepared gel is the efficient formulation for the better treatment of chronic gout and hyperuricemia. The research findings have shown the undesirable side effects associated with the oral route that can be reduced by the use of NLCs formulation through the transdermal route in an effective manner.