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It was my pleasure to join Universal Journal of Pharmaceutical Research (UJPR) as Editorial Board member since its first release in 2016. It would like to thank as well the editor-in-chief for the invitation and the opportunity given to me to write this editorial letter. UJPR is growing every year with lots of published researches covering many scientific disciplines. One of the outstanding key for this success is the healthy team work environment within the board. Every member is doing his role perfectly and on time. The UJPR managing team, is very helpful, responding promptly to us, and always sharing with the board every detail. UJPR is an international journal that gathers editors and researchers from all over the world. Editorial Board members originates from different countries like; India, China, Egypt, Nigeria, Malaysia, Ireland, Indonesia, Hungary, United States, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, Saudi Arabia, Syria, United Kingdom, South Africa, Iraq, and Brazil. Authors originated from Nigeria, Egypt, India, China, and many others. Universal Journal of Pharmaceutical Research publish research articles of diverse scientific interests; Pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences, Pharmacology, infectious diseases, molecular cardiology, immunopharmacology, inflammation, gastrointestinal and urogenital diseases, molecular mechanisms of action of various synthetic and natural occurring drugs., apoptotic inducers from plants, microbes and marine organisms, design and development of drugs, bioactivity of plant extracts, microbial extracts, their chemical standardization using different analytical techniques, medicinal plants growing in Asia-Pacific region, their chemical standardization, isolation of medicinal agents from these plants and their role with regard to global health issues, safety valuation, pre-clinical toxicology, interaction with drugs and harmful events of herbal preparations and Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of natural compounds. UJPR is also indexed and abstracted in more than 40 well known indexing services including Google Scholar, CAS, CASSI (American Chemical Society), BASE, Directory of Science, ROAD, ICV and many more. The journal had 168 citations until November 2019.  UJPR’s website is very well organized and informative. It is easy to use and number of visitors are increasing daily. I can expect that Universal Journal of Pharmaceutical Research will have soon a good impact factor because of the dedicated editors and reviewers and the author’s contributions.   Dr. Sally A. El-Zahaby Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology Faculty of Pharmacy and Drug Manufacturing, Pharos University in Alexandria,                      Alexandria, Egypt

Exploring state-of-the-art advances in targeted nanomedicines for managing acute and chronic inflammatory lung diseases

Diagnosis and treatment of lung diseases pose serious challenges. Currently, diagnostic as well as therapeutic methods show poor efficacy toward drug-resistant bacterial infections, while chemotherapy causes toxicity and nonspecific delivery of drugs. Advanced treatment methods that cure lung-related diseases, by enabling drug bioavailability via nasal passages during mucosal formation, which interferes with drug penetration to targeted sites, are in demand. Nanotechnology confers several advantages. Currently, different nanoparticles, or their combinations, are being used to enhance targeted drug delivery. Nanomedicine, a combination of nanoparticles and therapeutic agents, that delivers drugs to targeted sites increases the bioavailability of drugs at these sites. Thus, nanotechnology is superior to conventional chemotherapeutic strategies. Here, the authors review the latest advancements in nanomedicine-based drug-delivery methods for managing acute and chronic inflammatory lung diseases

Message

Activeness and dedication of the all editors, is the main reason for the continuous success of this prestigious journal. I encourage all the Editors to collaborate together in multidisciplinary scientific researches especially to combat the recent pandemic of COVID-19. We can do it. The editors originated from different countries and they all have different scientific backgrounds so we can share the experience and contribute in publishing good articles. As far as my specialization is concerned I am expert in the field of nano-carriers as drug delivery systems with more than 10 years’ experience. Additionally, I have good experience in tablet dosage form enabling me to solve tablet manufacturing problems based on my publications concerning different types of tablets formulations including; effervescent mini-tablets, size expanding tablets and various types of osmotic tablets. So let’s start and work on a target of getting a good impact factor for our “UJPR”

Design and evaluation of gastroretentive levofloxacin floating mini-tablets-in-capsule system for eradication of Helicobacter pylori

AbstractGastroretentive levofloxacin (LVF) floating mini-tablets for the eradication of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) were prepared using the matrix forming polymer hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC K100M), alone or with Carbopol 940P in different ratios by wet granulation technique. Buoyancy of mini-tablets was achieved by an addition of an effervescent mixture consisting of sodium bicarbonate and anhydrous citric acid to some formulations. The prepared mini-tablets were evaluated for weight variation, thickness, friability, hardness, drug content, in vitro buoyancy, water uptake and in vitro release. The optimized formula was subjected to further studies: FT-IR, DSC analysis and in vivo examination in healthy volunteers. The prepared mini-tablets exhibited satisfactory physicochemical characteristics. Incorporation of gas-generating agent improved the floating parameters. HPMC K100M mini-tablet formulation (F1) offered the best controlled drug release (>8h) along with floating lag time <1s and total floating time >24h. The obtained DSC thermograms and FT-IR charts indicated that there is no positive evidence for the interaction between LVF and ingredients of the optimized formula. The in vivo test confirmed the success of the optimized formula F1 in being retained in the stomach of the volunteers for more than 4h. LVF floating mini-tablets based on HPMC K100M is a promising formulation for eradication of H. pylori

Formulation and in vivo assessment of terconazole-loaded polymeric mixed micelles enriched with Cremophor EL as dual functioning mediator for augmenting physical stability and skin delivery

The aim of the current study was to formulate terconazole (TCZ) loaded polymeric mixed micelles (PMMs) incorporating Cremophor EL as a stabilizer and a penetration enhancer. A 23 full factorial design was performed using Design-Expert® software for the optimization of the PMMs which were formulated using Pluronic P123 and Pluronic F127 together with Cremophor EL. To confirm the role of Cremophor EL, PMMs formulation lacking Cremophor EL was prepared for the purpose of comparison. Results showed that the optimal PMMs formulation (F7, where the ratio of total Pluronics to drug was 40:1, the weight ratio of Pluronic P123 to Pluronic F127 was 4:1, and the percentage of Cremophor EL in aqueous phase was 5%) had a high micellar incorporation efficiency (92.98 ± 0.40%) and a very small micellar size (33.23 ± 8.00 nm). Transmission electron microscopy revealed that PMMs possess spherical shape and good dispersibility. The optimal PMMs exhibited superior physical stability when compared with the PMMs formulation of the same composition but lacking Cremophor EL. Ex vivo studies demonstrated that the optimal PMMs formula markedly improved the dermal TCZ delivery compared to PMMs lacking Cremophor EL and TCZ suspension. In addition, it was found that the optimal PMMs exhibited a greater extent of TCZ deposition in the rat dorsal skin relative to TCZ suspension. Moreover, histopathological studies revealed the safety of the optimal PMMs upon topical application to rats. Consequently, PMMs enriched with Cremophor EL, as a stable nano-system, could be promising for the skin delivery of TCZ

Zero-order release and bioavailability enhancement of poorly water soluble Vinpocetine from self-nanoemulsifying osmotic pump tablet

<p>Solid self-nanoemulsifying (S-SNEDDS) asymmetrically coated osmotic tablets of the poorly water-soluble drug Vinpocetine (VNP) were designed. The aim was to control the release of VNP by the osmotic technology taking advantage of the solubility and bioavailability-enhancing capacity of S-SNEDDS. Liquid SNEDDS loaded with 2.5 mg VNP composed of Maisine™ 35-1, Transcutol^® HP, and Cremophor^® EL was adsorbed on the solid carrier Aeroperl^®. S-SNEDDS was mixed with the osmotic tablet excipients (sodium chloride, Avicel^®, HPMC-K4M, PVP-K30, and Lubripharm^®), then directly compressed to form the core tablet. The tablets were dip coated and mechanically drilled. A 3²*2¹ full factorial design was adopted. The independent variables were: type of coating material (<i>X</i>₁), concentration of coating solution (<i>X</i>₂), and number of drills (<i>X</i>₃). The dependent variables included % release at 2 h (<i>Y</i>₁), at 4 h (<i>Y</i>₂), and at 8 h (<i>Y</i>₃). The <i>in vivo</i> performance of the optimum formula was assessed in rabbits. Zero-order VNP release was obtained by the single drilled 1.5% Opadry^® CA coated osmotic tablets and twofold increase in VNP bioavailability was achieved. The combination of SNEDDS and osmotic pump tablet system was successful in enhancing the solubility and absorption of VNP as well as controlling its release.</p

Association between Chronic Pain and Diabetes/Prediabetes: A Population-Based Cross-Sectional Survey in Saudi Arabia

Background. Diabetes is a debilitating chronic health condition that is associated with certain pain syndromes. The present study sought to evaluate chronic pain and its association with diabetes mellitus at a population level. Methods. A population-based cross-sectional questionnaire survey study was conducted in Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia, from January 2016 to June 2016. Participants from both private and governmental institutions were selected following a multistage sampling technique and using a cluster sampling method. Anthropometric measurements were taken, including body weight, height, body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference. A blood sample was also drawn from each respondent for fasting blood sugar, HbA1c, and fasting lipid profile. A P value of less than 0.05 indicated statistical significance. Results. A total of 1003 subjects were included for final analysis. Compared to prediabetic and nondiabetic individuals, diabetic subjects had a higher prevalence of lower limb pain (11.1%), back pain (8.9%), abdominal pain (6.7%), and neck pain (4.4%) (X2 = 27.792, P=0.015). In a multiple logistic regression model, after adjusting for age, gender, education level, cholesterol, and smoking status, diabetic/prediabetic patients had a significantly higher prevalence of chronic pain ((OR) = 1.931 (95% CI = 1.536–2.362), P=0.037). Increased age was also significantly associated with chronic pain ((OR) = 1.032 (95% CI = 1.010–1.054, P=0.004). Conclusion. Results of this study found a significant association between diabetes and prediabetes and chronic pain symptoms. Prospective studies are needed to explore temporality of such association

Exploring state-of-the-art advances in targeted nanomedicines for managing acute and chronic inflammatory lung diseases

Diagnosis and treatment of lung diseases pose serious challenges. Currently, diagnostic as well as therapeutic methods show poor efficacy toward drug-resistant bacterial infections, while chemotherapy causes toxicity and nonspecific delivery of drugs. Advanced treatment methods that cure lung-related diseases, by enabling drug bioavailability via nasal passages during mucosal formation, which interferes with drug penetration to targeted sites, are in demand. Nanotechnology confers several advantages. Currently, different nanoparticles, or their combinations, are being used to enhance targeted drug delivery. Nanomedicine, a combination of nanoparticles and therapeutic agents, that delivers drugs to targeted sites increases the bioavailability of drugs at these sites. Thus, nanotechnology is superior to conventional chemotherapeutic strategies. Here, the authors review the latest advancements in nanomedicine-based drug-delivery methods for managing acute and chronic inflammatory lung diseases