THE RESEARCH UPDATES AND PROSPECTS OF HERBAL HARD-BOILED LOZENGES: A CLASSICAL PLATFORM WITH PROMISING DRUG DELIVERY POTENTIAL

Over the past decades major focus has been given towards innovative drug delivery systems and new dosage forms. This is due to highly expensive process and high attrition rates of existing marketed drugs. Hard-boiled lozenges (HBLs) are one of the solid dosage form designed to release the drug in saliva for either local or systemic effects. Typical application of lozenegs includes throat infection, pharyngitis, cough suppressant, nasal-decongestant, expectorants, and smoking cessation. The drug delivery through the hard-boiled candies has an easy marketing advantage due to its attractive appearance and patient compliance. As a part of the drug is absosrbed into systemic circulation, gastrointestinal degradation and fast pass effects are avoided. Further, drug delivery through hard-boiled lozenges can be potential platform for some of the suitable drug candidates. This review on hard-boiled lozenges discusses manufacturing process, characterization techniques, quality control, research studies and market potential of hard-boiled lozenges. The major databases searched were, PubMed, Wiley Online, Medline, Elsevier, Google scholar, Scopus, ACS, The Royal Society of Chemistry, SciFinder, Baidu Scholars, CNKI, web of science, Cochrane database, US Patents, Espacenet and various business reviews. This review provides comprehensive information on hard-boiled lozenges that will help the pharmaceutical scientist from academia as well pharmaceutical industry to leverage the potential of this conventional dosage form for various herbal drugs and other pharmaceutical actives

PHYTOCHEMICAL PROFILING, HPTLC FINGERPRINT AND ANTIBACTERIAL, ANTI-FUNGAL, AND ANTIOXIDANT PROPERTIES OF ESSENTIAL OILS EXTRACTED FROM CUMMINUM CYMINUM, ZINGIBER OFFICINALE, TRACHYSPERMUM AMMI, ALIPNIA GALANGA, CEDRUS DEODARA, AND ELETTARIA CARDAMOMUM

Objective: The objective of the study was to carry out the phytochemical profiling of essential oils (EOs) and evaluation of their anti-microbial activity. Methods: The EOs extracted from Cumminum cyminum, Zingiber officinale, Trachyspermum ammi, Alipnia galanga, Cedrus deodara, and Elettaria cardamomum using clavenger apparatus. Phytochemical analysis and high-performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) fingerprinting were carried out for the EO. The antibacterial and antifungal activity were evaluated using agar well-diffusion method against two bacterial strains, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and two fungal strains, Candida albicans, and Aspergillus brasiliensis. Positive controls ciprofloxacin-30 mg, azithromycin-15 mg, and nystatin NS-50 mg were used. Antioxidant potential of the EOs was investigated by TLC-bioautography method using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl derivatization. Results: The phytochemical analysis reveals presence of various phytochemical such as steroids, terpenoids, and phenylpropanoids. The HPTLC fingerprint is found to be unique for each of the oil. The EO of Z. officinale and T. ammi showed strong antibacterial activity against S. aureus. The EOs of C. cyminum, Tachyspermum ommi and A. galanga displayed prominent antioxidant activity on TLC bioautography. The herbs Cuminum cynimun, T. ammi, C. deodara, and Ellateria cardamomum produce reasonable amount of essentials oil, which can be explored for useful their industrial applications. Conclusions: These EOs can be explored further for their antimicrobial activity. The HPTLC analysis along with derivatization with suitable chromogenic reagents can be a rapid and simple tool for quality control of various EOs