Gastroretentive drug delivery systems (GRDDS) have emerged as a highly promising strategy to achieve better therapeutic outcomes and enhance patient compliance in oral drug delivery systems. Among the GRDDS, conventional effervescent floating tablets are the most frequently implemented. However, this method often experiences a delay before floating, which results in incomplete drug release and reduced dose effectiveness. The issue of delay to float can be resolved by reengineering the tablet’s porous structure, which is referred to as sublimation. Sublimation is a method that has gained considerable attention to significantly enhance buoyancy and prolonged gastric retention with no floating lag time. This review emphasizes the optimization strategies for sublimation-based formulations. Camphor and menthol are reported among the promising sublimation agents, as they could prolong buoyancy up to 24 hours. Additionally, utilization of polymers like hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) is reported to be critical as it helps to control and maintain the integrity of dosage form and drug release. In this review, the principles, advantages, and disadvantages of frequently used sublimation agents are discussed individually and their combination to explore novel sublimation agents in GRDDS. In addition, the current strategies of sublimation in GRDDS and the potential for refining formulation parameters are examined to investigate possible alternatives to enhance therapeutic effects and optimize manufacturing processes.
Vaccinium arctostaphylos L. (Ericaceae), is a medicinal shrub that commonly found in Caucasus and western Asia (Iran and Turkey). Traditionally, this plant has been employed for its antidiabetic and antihypertensive effects. Recent studies have indicated that V. arctostaphylos contains several important bioactive compounds, including terpenoids, anthocyanins, flavonoids, and phenolic acids, primarily found in its aerial parts. Although there is increasing evidence from laboratory and clinical studies supporting its beneficial effects on diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia, a comprehensive review of its ethnobotany, dietary value, chemical composition, pharmacological properties, and clinical applications remains lacking. This article serves as the first detailed review summarizing the current knowledge about V. arctostaphylos, encompassing its chemical constituents, biological activities, and findings from clinical trials. The information presented has been gathered from major scientific databases such as Google Scholar, Scopus, and PubMed. Overall, V. arctostaphylos presents a multifaceted therapeutic potential as a nutraceutical, offering complementary benefits in the modulation and management of complex metabolic disorders.
Background: Nowadays, scientists are trying to design a developed carrier for delivering drugs specifically to cancerous cells. This study aimed to design the poly (acrylamide-maleic anhydride)/(FA & TPGS) coated nanoliposome (P(AAm-MA)/(FA & TPGS) NL) as an FA-modified targeted drug delivery system. Methods: The P(AAm-MA)/(FA & TPGS) copolymer was synthesized via free radical polymerization of AAm and MA, followed by chemical grafting of FA-NH2 and TPGS-SS-NH2. Also, the nanoliposome (NL) was prepared by the thin lipid film hydration method and the Doxorubicin (DOX) was encapsulated into the core of nanoliposome during lipid bilayer formation. After that, the copolymer was used to coat the NL in order to prepare P(AAm-MA)/ (FA & TPGS) NL. The cytotoxicity of DOX-loaded P(AAm-MA)/(FA & TPGS) NL, pure DOX and blank P(AAm-MA)/(FA & TPGS) NL against MCF-7 were measured by MTT assay. The intracellular uptake of free DOX and DOX-loaded P(AAm-MA)/(FA & TPGS) NL against MCF-7 was studied using a fluorescence microscope. Results: The P(AAm-MA)/(FA & TPGS) copolymer was initially investigated by FT-IR, then the TEM analysis of P(AAm-MA)/(FA & TPGS) NL was performed, and showed that the copolymer formed a thin layer around liposomal vesicles. Also, the TEM and DLS results confirmed the preparation of P(AAm-MA)/(FA & TPGS) NL with less than 100 nm diameter. The zeta potential results confirmed the coating of NL with copolymer by electrostatic interactions. The DOXloaded P(AAm-MA)/(FA & TPGS) NL exhibited enhanced cellular uptake through FA-mediated endocytosis. The efficiency of DOX-loaded P(AAm-MA)/(FA & TPGS) NL against MCF-7 was verified by MTT, and exhibited higher cytotoxicity of the DOX-loaded P(AAm-MA)/(FA & TPGS) NL compared to pure DOX. Conclusion: Overall, the P(AAm-MA)/(FA & TPGS) NL controlled MCF-7 cells' growth because of its enhanced cellular uptake via FA-mediated endocytosis. Thus, the prepared nanoliposome carrier can be a suitable choice for inhibiting the growth of cancer cells.
