Solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN) have emerged as a next-generation drug delivery system with potential applications in pharmaceutical field, cosmetics, research, clinical medicine and other allied sciences. Recently, increasing attention has been focused on these SLN as colloidal drug carriers for incorporating hydrophilic or lipophilic drugs. Proteins and antigens intended for therapeutic purposes may be incorporated or adsorbed onto SLN, and further administered by parenteral routes or be alternative routes such as oral, nasal and pulmonary. The obstacles associated with conventional chemotherapy may be partially overcome by encapsulating them as SLN. The present review focuses on the utility of SLN in terms of their advantages, production methodology, characterization and applications. If properly investigated, SLNs may open new vistas in therapy of complex diseases.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/icpj.v1i11.12065 International Current Pharmaceutical Journal 2012, 1(11): 384-393

The purpose of the present study was to prepare, characterize and evaluate the colon-targeted microspheres of mesalamine for the treatment and management of ulcerative colitis (UC). Microspheres were prepared by the ionic-gelation emulsification method using tripolyphosphate (TPP) as cross linking agent. The microspheres were coated with Eudragit S-100 by the solvent evaporation technique to prevent drug release in the stomach. The prepared microspheres were evaluated for surface morphology, entrapment efficiency, drug loading, micromeritic properties and in-vitro drug release. The microspheres formed had rough surface as observed in scanning electron microscopy. The entrapment efficiency of microspheres ranged from 43.72%-82.27%, drug loading from 20.28%-33.26%. The size of the prepared microspheres ranged between 61.22-90.41µm which was found to increase with increase in polymer concentration. All values are statistically significant as p<0.05. Micromeritic properties showed good flow properties and packability of prepared microspheres. The drug release of mesalamine from microspheres was found to decrease as the polymer concentration increases. The release profile of mesalamine from eudragit-coated chitosan microspheres was found to be pH dependent. It was observed that Eudragit S100 coated chitosan microspheres gave no release in the simulated gastric fluid, negligible release in the simulated intestinal fluid and maximum release in the colonic environment. It was concluded from the study that Eudragit-coated chitosan microspheres were promising carriers for colon-targeted delivery of Mesalamine.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/icpj.v2i3.13577 International Current Pharmaceutical Journal, February 2013, 2(3): 42-48

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Metronidazole microcapsules with a coat consisting of alginate and the natural cationic polymer, chitosan were formulated by using tripolyphosphate cross-linking method and were investigated with a view to develop mucoadhesive microcapsules. The microcapsules were evaluated for their surface morphology, microencapsulation efficiency, in-vitro wash-off test, swelling behavior and in-vitro drug release. The microcapsules formed had rough surface morphology in scanning electron microscopy. The drug entrapment efficiency was found to be in the range 75.2±1.31% and 82.1±0.75%. Chitosan microcapsules displayed a limited amount of swelling which is supposed to be related to the degree of cross-linking with tripolyphosphate. The microcapsules showed better mucoadhesive property at intestinal pH 7.4 than at gastric pH 1.2 in the in-vitro wash-off test. The drug release was found to be slow and extended over long duration of time. Key words: Metronidazole microcapsules; chitosan; mucoadhesion; tripolyphosphate DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/dujps.v9i2.7897 Dhaka Univ. J. Pharm. Sci. 9(2): 125-130, 2010 (December)

The present work was designed to evaluate the toxicity of various synthesized aromatic amides that are analogs of N,N-diethyl-2-phenylacetamide, a well known insect repellent. The toxicity profile of these compounds was compared with N,N-diethyl-2-phenylacetamide as well as other registered insect repellents namely N,N-diethyl-3-methyl benzamide and N,N-diethylbenzamide. The primary skin irritation index values of the compounds, dermal toxicity of the chemicals and acute oral toxicity data to assess the safety of the synthesized aromatic amides are reported in this paper. Results of hematological and biochemical studies of these analogues are reported and discussed.