Introduction:The conventional subcutaneous administration of insulin has been associated with several limitations leading to poor patient compliance. The poor oral bioavailability of insulin due to degradation by gastrointestinal enzymes and secretions can be countered by the use of protective carriers such as solid lipid nanoparticles that are capable of being taken up by the Peyer's patches. The aim of the investigation was to design and investigate alginate coated solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN) of insulin for oral administration. Materials and Methods: The SLN were prepared from glyceryl behenate and glyceryl monostearate and coated with mucoadhesive polymer, sodium alginate. The SLN were evaluated for size, shape, zeta potential, drug content, in vitro release and ex vivo drug permeation through goat intestinal mucosa and Caco-2 cell monolayer model. Results and Discussion: Transmission electron microscopy revealed spherical particles of uniform size distribution. In vitro drug release using the reverse dialysis method revealed that the alginate coating maintained the potency of insulin in simulated GI fluids and also provided sustained release. Absorption enhancement was demonstrated in ex vivo permeation studies in the goat intestinal mucosal model as well as in the Caco-2 cell monolayer model. The oral administration of alginate-coated insulin SLN in streptozotocin induced diabetic rats resulted in a significant hypoglycemic effect as compared to that of uncoated insulin-loaded SLN. The percentage glycemia at the end of 10 h was statistically significant (p<0.05) to oral insulin and the hypoglycemic levels reached were comparable to that of the conventional subcutaneous insulin. Conclusion: Alginate coated SLN has the potential of improving the absorption of insulin through intestinal mucosa and possibly its bioavailability.

Background: Psoriasis is an autoimmune-mediated disease characterized marked by thickened plaques and erythematous skin, which can be treated by topical delivery of apremilast. The objective of this study was to prepare hydrogel-based nanoemulsions of apremilast for psoriasis therapy with a view of improving its solubility and permeability. Methods: Nanoemulsion components were chosen based on their solubility. Spontaneous emulsification technique was used to formulate apremilast loaded nanoemulsions D-optimal design was used to optimize the formulations. The optimized formulation was assessed for globule size, Polydispersity Index, percentage transmittance, entrapment efficiency, pH, and Transmission Electron Microscopy The optimized nanoemulsion was converted into gels using carbopol 940 and evaluated for critical parameters like spreadability, viscosity and extrudability. In vitro drug release and ex vivo permeation studies were conducted to understand the release kinetics and extent of permeation. Results: Particle size of the nanoemulsions were found to be in the range of 141 nm-245nm. Transmission electron microscopic images of the optimised formulation showed spherical particles in the nano range. Optimised formulation exhibited excellent entrapment efficiency of 86% and was found to be thermodynamically stable. In vitro drug release studies of the nanoemulgel using the Franz diffusion cell apparatus appeared to follow zero-order kinetics. Ex vivo permeation through porcine skin showed substantial improvement in flux, permeability coefficient, and drug deposition in the skin in the case of nanoemulgel compared to drug dispersion. Conclusion: The results obtained from the studies demonstrated the immense potential of the developed formulations for topical application in psoriasis.