Papaverine hydrochloride containing nanostructured lyotropic liquid crystal formulation as a potential drug delivery system for the treatment of erectile dysfunction

Szilvia Berkó,1 Stella Zsikó,1 Gábor Deák,2 Attila Gácsi,1 Anita Kovács,1 Mária Budai-Szűcs,1 László Pajor,2 Zoltán Bajory,2 Erzsébet Csányi1 1Institute of Pharmaceutical Technology and Regulatory Affairs, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary; 2Department of Urology, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary Purpose: Papaverine hydrochloride (PaHCl) is an old, well-known drug with spasmolytic activity but it has therapeutic effect in erectile dysfunction, too. As an intracavernous injection, it is not used in urologic clinics today because the side effects of the injection are pain, scarring or priapism. Our aim was to develop and test a topical semi-solid preparation containing PaHCl that would provide an alternative administration option by eliminating the undesirable side effects of the injection.Materials and methods: Lyotropic liquid crystal (LLC) systems were formulated as a semi-solid preparation with different concentrations of PaHCl. The characterization of the LLC structure was performed by polarization microscopy using a Leica image analyzer and rheological measurements. The drug diffusion and penetration tests were performed with in vitro synthetic membrane and an ex vivo human epidermis, using Franz diffusion cell to test the skin penetration of PaHCl. Human skin was investigated by Raman microscope to visualize the Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) in different skin layers.Results: The results of diffusion and penetration showed reverse concentration dependency. The in vitro and ex vivo studies correlated with each other and the results of Raman microscopy. The LLC structure influenced the penetration results, the lower viscosity and lamellar structure increased penetration through the skin.Conclusion: Based on our results, a PaHCl containing topically used LLC formulation may be a suitable and effective alternative to the injectable formulation. Keywords: nanocarrier, dermal penetration, impotence, Raman microscop

Electroporation-delivered transdermal neostigmine in rats: equivalent action to intravenous administration

Szilvia Berkó,1,* Kálmán F Szűcs,2,* Boglárka Balázs,1,3 Erzsébet Csányi,1 Gábor Varju,4 Anita Sztojkov-Ivanov,2 Mária Budai-Szűcs,1 Judit Bóta,2 Róbert Gáspár2 1Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary; 2Department of Pharmacodynamics and Biopharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary; 3Gedeon Richter Plc., Budapest, 4Dr Derm Clinic of Anti-Aging Dermatology, Aesthetic Laser and Plastic Surgery, Budapest, Hungary *These authors contributed equally to this work Purpose: Transdermal electroporation has become one of the most promising noninvasive methods for drug administration, with greatly increased transport of macromolecules through the skin. The cecal-contracting effects of repeated transdermal electroporation delivery and intravenous administration of neostigmine were compared in anesthetized rats. Methods: The cecal contractions were detected with implantable strain gauge sensors, and the plasma levels of neostigmine were followed by high-performance liquid chromatography. Results: Both intravenously and EP-administered neostigmine (0.2–66.7 µg/kg) increased the cecal contractions in a dose-dependent manner. For both the low doses and the highest dose, the neostigmine plasma concentrations were the same after the two modes of administration, while an insignificantly higher level was observed at a dose of 20 µg/kg after intravenous administration as compared with the electroporation route. The contractile responses did not differ significantly after the two administration routes. Conclusion: The results suggest that electroporation-delivered neostigmine elicits action equivalent to that observed after intravenous administration as concerning both time and intensity. Electroporation permits the delivery of even lower doses of water-soluble compounds through the skin, which is very promising for clinical practice. Keywords: transdermal, electroporation, neostigmine, smooth muscle, contraction, plasma leve

Development of ibuprofen-loaded nanostructured lipid carrier-based gels: characterization and investigation of in vitro and in vivo penetration through the skin

Blanka Sütö,1 Szilvia Berkó,1 Gábor Kozma,2 Ákos Kukovecz,2,3 Mária Budai-Szucs,1 Gábor Erös,4,5 Lajos Kemény,4 Anita Sztojkov-Ivanov,6 Róbert Gáspár,6 Erzsébet Csányi11Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, 2Department of Applied and Environmental Chemistry, 3MTA-SZTE “Lendület” Porous Nanocomposites Research Group, 4Department of Dermatology and Allergology, 5Department of Oral Biology and Experimental Dental Research, 6Department of Pharmacodynamics and Biopharmacy, University of Szeged, Szeged, HungaryAbstract: An ibuprofen-loaded nanostructured lipid carrier (IBU-NLC) was developed for enhanced skin penetration to improve the treatment of osteoarthritis and other musculoskeletal diseases. The mean particle size was 106 nm, with a spherical morphology, a smooth surface, and a zeta potential of −18.4 mV. X-ray diffraction studies revealed the amorphous state of the lipid matrix. Both Raman spectroscopy and Fourier transformation infrared analysis indicated no major shifts in the spectra of the formulations, which suggest rapid drug dissolution from the nanoparticles. The drug loading was 9.85%, and the entrapment efficiency was 98.51%. In vitro release of the NLC dispersion, in vitro permeation, and in vivo animal studies of IBU-NLC gel all confirmed that the permeation of IBU was significantly better than that of a reference after 6 hours. In conclusion, IBU-NLC gel is of great potential to enhance drug permeation through the skin and hence the efficacy of the treatment of chronic joint inflammation.Keywords: ibuprofen, nanostructured lipid carriers, skin penetration, SKH-1 hairless mice, osteoarthriti