FORMULATION AND EVALUATION OF OXICONAZOLE MUCOADHESIVE NANOEMULSION BASED GEL FOR TREATMENT OF FUNGAL VAGINAL INFECTION

Objective: The aim of the present study was to formulate and evaluate nanoemulsion-based gel of oxiconazole nitrate (OXZ) for the treatment of vaginal infection.Methods: The solubility of Oxiconazole nitrate in various oils, surfactant and co-surfactant, were done to identify the components of the nanoemulsion. Based on the solubility studies, isopropyl myristate (IPM) as oil, Cremophore EL as surfactant and ethanol as co-surfactant were selected for preparing nanoemulsion. Various nanoemulsions were prepared by using the spontaneous emulsification technique. The nanoemulsion area was determined by constructing of pseudo ternary phase diagrams. The formulated nanoemulsions were subjected to accelerated stability test. The nanoemulsion formulae that passed the stability test were characterized for its morphology, droplet size, conductivity and zeta potential. These optimized formulae were incorporated into the polymeric gel of carbopol 934 (CRB), hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC), sodium carboxymethylcellulose (NaCMC) and xanthum gum (XGUM), then evaluated for pH, viscosity, bio-adhesion properties, spreadability and drug content. The in vitro release and antifungal activity of the nanoemulsion gel formulae compared with the commercial available product, tinox® cream, was carried out to judge their efficiency.Results: The optimal nanoemulsion formulae which composed of oil, surfactant: cosurfactant mixture (1:1 or 2:1), and water in ratio 5:45:50 showed the highest stability of nanoemulsion. All the nanoemulsion gel formulae showed higher release and antifungal activity than the marketed cream.Conclusion: The Oxiconazole nitrate nanoemulsion-based gel could be successfully promising formulation for the topical treatment of fungal vaginal candidiasis.Keywords: Nanoemulsion, Oxiconazole nitrate, Nanoemulsion-based gel, Vaginal candidiasis, Mucoadhesio

SKIN TARGETING OF AN OPTIMIZED CAFFEINE NANOSTRUCTURED LIPID CARRIER WITH IMPROVED EFFICIENCY AGAINST CHEMOTHERAPY INDUCED ALOPECIA

Objective: The current investigation was designed to develop and optimize caffeine-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) for topical alopecia treatment. Methods: Screening of drug solubility in various excipients was executed. The 23 full factorial design was employed for NLCs optimization. Lipid type, surfactant type, and drug concentration were the independent variables. Entrapment efficiency (EE), particle size, polydispersity index (PDI) and % drug release were the chosen responses. Physiochemical evaluation, in vitro release, ex-vivo permeation, and stability study were achieved. Results: The solubility of caffeine in stearic acid and glyceryl monostearate (GMS) was 47.11±3.048 and 32.67±2.955 mg/g, respectively. Oleic acid: garlic oil mixture at a ratio of 1:1 v/v was the oily phase. Tween 80 and Cremophor EL, Transcutol HP, carbonate buffer (pH 10.8 and ionic strength 200 mmol) were chosen as a surfactant, co-surfactant, and aqueous phase, respectively. The optimized formula showed particle size, %EE, PDI, zeta potential of 358 nm±1.45, 72.55 %±0.12, 0.912±0.030,-24.8 mv±0.70, respectively. The % release was 92.9±4.9 % after 2 h. Confocal laser scanning microscopy showed an improved permeation of caffeine-loaded NLCs to the whole skin layers. Conclusion: The histological examination proved the efficiency of caffeine NLCs optimized formula in promoting hair growth compared to the market formula

NANOEMULSION GEL OF NUTRACEUTICAL CO-ENZYME Q10 AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO CONVENTIONAL TOPICAL DELIVERY SYSTEM TO ENHANCE SKIN PERMEABILITY AND ANTI-WRINKLE EFFICIENCY

Objective: The object of our investigation was to develop and characterize nanoemulsion gel (NEG) as transdermal delivery systems for the poorly water soluble drug, Co-enzyme Q10 (CoQ10), to improve its solubility and skin permeability and thus improving its anti-wrinkle efficiency.Methods: An optimized nanoemulsion (NE) formula was chosen according to its particle size and stability and converted into nanoemulsion gel using different gelling agents, including; carbopol 934 (1%), xanthan gum (2%) and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose(NaCMC) (2%). Drug loaded nanoemulsion gels were characterized for particle size, zeta potential, viscosity and rheological behavior, conductivity, spreadability, drug content and permeation studies using Franz diffusion cell.Results: NEG containing 10% w/v isopropyl myristate (IPM) as oil, 60% w/v tween 80 and transcutol HP as surfactant/co-surfactant mixture (S/CoS), 30%w/v water, 2%w/v drug, and 1% w/v carbopol 934 as gelling gent was concluded as an optimized NEG formula. It exhibited pH, viscosity, drug content, particle size, zeta potential, polydispersity index(PDI) and spreadability, as 5.4±0.011, 27588±2034.34 cps,101.51±0.93%,120.5±1.19 nm,-29.8±1.46, 0.273 and 6.16±0.28 cm, respectively. Also, it showed significantly higher cumulative amount of drug permeated through dialysis membrane (281.71±0.97μg/cm2) and through rat skin (20.73±2.5 μg/cm2) than the other formulae and marketed formulation (P<0.001). In addition, its permeability parameters like drug flux (Jss), enhancement ratio (Er) and permeability coefficient (Kp) exhibited the highest values; 12.79µg/cm2/h, 95.92×10-4 cm2/h and 57.35, respectively for in vitro permeation study and 0.968µg/cm2/h, 7.26×10-4 cm2/h and 1.183, respectively for ex-vivo permeation study.Further histopathological evaluation test showed that CoQ10 NEG has a good anti-wrinkle efficacy compared to the conventional topical dosage form.Conclusion: These results judged NEG to be a promising alternative carrier for topical delivery of CoQ10 to enhance its solubility, skin permeability and thus anti-wrinkle efficiency

Measurement of central corneal thickness by different techniques

Purpose The aim of this study was to compare the central corneal thickness (CCT) measurements by three different techniques: pentacam, noncontact specular microscopy, and ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) devices. Patients and methods This prospective observational cross-sectional study was performed on patients seeking medical care at the outpatient clinic of Ophthalmology Center at Mansoura University. They were consecutively recruited and selected, and measurement of CCT by pentacam, UBM, and specular microscopy was done. Thereafter, the results were compared as an evaluation study of all techniques. Results This study included 200 eyes of 100 patients. The age of the included patients in the study ranged from 20 to 50 years. The mean age was 34.56±9.94 years. The CCT ranged from 465 to 630 µm, with a mean of 532.88±34.15 µm when measured by pentacam. When measured by specular microscopy, it ranged from 456 to 601 µm, with a mean 531.92±33.64 µm, and when measured by UBM, it ranged from 463 to 602 µm, with a mean 533.97±31.10 µm, with P value of 0.824 (nonsignificant). Conclusion CCT measurements obtained by UBM tend to be thicker than those obtained by pentacam and noncontact specular microscopy, but the measurements of all three are strongly positively correlated with each other. So, any of these devices can be easily substituted by the other for the measurement of CCT

Visumax femtolasik versus Moria M2 microkeratome in mild to moderate myopia: efficacy, safety, predictability, aberrometric changes and flap thickness predictability

Abstract Introduction This is an interventional prospective clinical study which was conducted to evaluate the efficacy, safety, predictability, ocular aberrations, and flap thickness predictability of Visumax femtosecond laser (FSL) compared to Moria M2 microkeratome (MK) in mild to moderate myopia. Methods This study included 60 eyes who were divided into two groups. Thirty eyes in group (I) in which the flap was created with Visumax FSL, while in group II (30 eyes) the Moria M2 MK was used. Keratometric, refractive, and aberrometric measurements were compared preoperatively and 3 months postoperatively. The intraoperative subtraction pachymetry (the SP 100 Handy pachymeter (Tomey, Nagoya, Japan) was used for preoperative pachymetry and flap thickness measurement. Results No significant difference was found between the two groups in regards to postoperative manifest sphere, spherical equivalent, astigmatism, safety indices nor ocular aberrations. Twenty six eyes (86.6%) in group I and 23 eyes in group II (76.6%) were within ±0.5D of the intended correction and 23 eyes (76.6%) in group I and 15 eyes in group II (50%) were within ±0.25D of the intended correction. In group I, the mean postoperative actual flap thickness was 100.12 ± 16.1 μm (81 to 122 μm), while in group II, it was 104.6 ± 20.1 μm (62 to 155 μm). The difference was statistically significant (p = 0.001). Conclusions Both Visumax and Moria M2 MK are safe and effective in treating myopia with no statistically significant difference in induction of ocular aberrations but with potential advantage for Visumax regarding predictability. More accurate flap thickness is achieved with Visumax femtolasik. Trial registration This study was retrospectively registered on 19/6/2017. Trial registration number NCT03193411 , clinicalTrials.gov

Antibiotics and Phage Sensitivity as Interventions for Controlling Escherichia coli Isolated from Clinical Specimens

Escherichia coli is considered one of the most frequent causative agents of common bacterial infections worldwide. In addition, effective treatment and prevention measures are still in demand due to the rise of antibiotic resistance and the emergence of new virulent strains. In this work, we evaluated antibiotics and bacteriophages as interventions for controlling pathogenic E. coli. A total of 15 E. coli isolates were included in this study. The automated identification system, namely Vitek 2, has been utilized for the identification. Antibiotics susceptibility profiles of all isolates were confirmed by disc diffusion method. All strains exhibited resistance at least to one antibiotic (ampicillin) while 13 strains were resistant to Ampicillin/Sulbactam, Cefazolin, and Ceftriaxone. Except for two strains, no resistance to Amikacin was observed. On the other hand, bacteriophages designated øEU-3 and øEU-4 were isolated by single plaque isolation and investigated as antimicrobial agents against pathogenic E. coli. Phages morphology, determined by transmission electron microscopy, revealed a structure comprised of a head diameter (71.42 nm) and a tail length (214.28 nm). These features placed the øEU-3 phage in the family Siphoviridae while øEU-4 belonged to family Myoviridae with a head diameter (66.6 nm) and a contractile tail length (108.3nm). Phages susceptibilities were determined by spot test to fifteen E. coli isolates. Coliphage øEU-3 and øEU-4 had narrow host range. This work described the efficacy of antibiotics and bacteriophages as intervention strategies to control pathogenic E. coli and paved the way for depth studies to broaden the antimicrobial spectrum of øEU-3 and øEU-4 phages