Multifunctional Clay in Pharmaceuticals

Clay has its widespread applications in pharmaceuticals from ancient world to modern era. It is one of the excellent excipients present in the commercially available pharmaceuticals. Its use in many of dosage forms viz. in suspension, emulsion, ointments, gels, tablet and as drug delivery carrier as suspending agent, emulsifying agent, stiffening agent, binder, diluent, opacifier, and as release retardant have been explored in many studies. Variety of minerals is used as both excipient and as an active ingredient; among that kaolinite, talc, and gypsum are important. Their inertness, low toxicity, versatile physiochemical properties and cost effectiveness has increased its usage in pharma industries. Many minerals have its own pharmacological action as antacid, anti-bacterial, anti-emetic, anti- diarrheal agent and as skin protectant etc. Their unique structure which helps them to absorb material onto their layered sheets has opened a wide variety of applications in drug delivery. The understanding of surface chemistry and particle size distribution of clay minerals has led the pharmaceutical field in many directions and future perspectives

Determination of Conformational and Functional Stability of Potential Plague Vaccine Candidate in Formulation

Generally, protein-based vaccines are available in liquid form and are highly susceptible to instability under elevated temperature changes including freezing conditions. There is a need to create a convenient formulation of protein/peptides that can be stored at ambient conditions without loss of activity or production of adverse effects. The efficiency of naturally occurring biocompatible polymer dextran in improving the shelf-life and biological activity of a highly thermally unstable plague vaccine candidate protein called Low Calcium Response V antigen (LcrV), which can be stored at room temperature (30 ± 2 °C), has been evaluated. To determine the preferential interactions with molecular-level insight into solvent–protein interactions, analytical techniques such asspectroscopy, particle size distribution, gel electrophoresis, microscopy, and thermal analysis have been performed along with the evaluation of humoral immune response, invivo. The analytical methods demonstrate the structural stability of the LcrV protein by expressing its interaction with the excipients in the formulation. The invivo studies elicited the biological activity of the formulated antigen with a significantly higher humoral immune response (p-value = 0.047) when compared to the native, adjuvanted antigen. We propose dextran as a potential biopolymer with its co-excipient sodium chloride (NaCl) to provide protein compactness, i.e., prevent protein unfolding by molecular crowding or masking mechanism using preferential hydrophobic interaction for up to three weeks at room temperature (30 ± 2 °C)

Seaweeds derived ulvan and alginate polysaccharides encapsulated microbeads–Alternate for plastic microbeads in exfoliating cosmetic products

Rinse-off cosmetics containing plastic microbeads are banned worldwide owing to its toxic effects on the water bodies. Therefore, novel seaweed polysaccharide-based microbeads are fabricated as an alternative to the plastic microbead, to be used in exfoliating biocosmetic products. A unique combination of sodium alginate from brown algae, ulvan from green algae in a 1:1 ratio exhibited excellent spherical morphology among the biopolymers screened (sodium alginate, carrageenan, and ulvan) and curcumin was loaded to this best combination. The resulting formulation exhibited 99.2% encapsulation efficiency, significant curcumin release (∼50% in 30 min), stability and biodegradation with appropriate swelling index. Spectral and thermal analysis showed the interaction of curcumin and polysaccharides. Microbeads showed good radical scavenging and antimicrobial activity. Cell viability study revealed that 1.2 mg/ml of microbeads was safe dose to be used in skin care products. The microbeads and bio polysaccharides hold an added value by improving the solubility of curcumin. Hence the novel microbeads would be a potential substitute for hazardous plastic microbeads used in exfoliating skincare products, with antioxidant and anti-microbial activity, revitalizing the traditional use of curcumin