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Abstract: Poly(ethylene glycol ‐co‐ DL‐lactide) (PELA) is a biodegradable polymer, which has attracted considerable interest in the area of drug release due to its potential as drug carrier. Drug‐loaded electrospun PELA fibers tend to be a promising candidate for local chemotherapy application in the future. In this study, curcumin was encapsulated into PELA fibers (Cur@PELA) for drug delivery via electrospinning. It was found that the shrinkage ratio, porosity, water absorption and water contact angle of Cur@PELA fiber membrane could be changed by heat treatment with different heating temperature (45°C, 50°C) and heating time (5 min, 10 min, 20 min). Moreover, the release rate of curcumin from Cur@PELA fibers was influenced by the porosity, water absorption and water contact angle of the drug‐loaded membrane. Heat treatment is thought to be a novel method to control release of drug from electrospun PELA fibers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metformin/glipizide tablets are a compound formulation composed of metformin hydrochloride and glipizide. This study aimed to assess the pharmacokinetics and bioequivalence of two fixed-dose combination (FDC) tablets of metformin/glipizide (500 mg/2.5 mg) in healthy Chinese subjects. We conducted a single-center, open-label, randomized, two-way crossover study with a total of 48 subjects enrolled (24 in each dietary group). The test or reference formulations were given to the subjects at random at a ratio of 1 : 1, with a seven-day washout period. Blood samples, collected at prearranged intervals before and up to 24 hours after dosage, were analyzed using validated LC-MS/MS technology to ascertain plasma concentrations of metformin and glipizide. Finally, 23 subjects completed the fasting and fed studies, respectively. In both studies, the 90% confidence intervals for the geometric mean ratios (test/reference) of the C m ax , AUC0-t, and AUC0-∞ were all found to fall within the acceptable range for bioequivalence (80%–125%). The exposure of metformin/glipizide FDC tablets in vivo was not significantly affected by food. No serious adverse events were observed. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that both the test and reference metformin/glipizide tablets exhibited bioequivalence and were well tolerated under both fasting and fed conditions. This trial is registered with CTR202686. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: What is known and Objective: Meropenem, a broad‐spectrum carbapenem, is frequently used to treat severe bacterial infections in critically ill children. Recommendations for meropenem doses in adult infections are available; however, few studies have been published regarding the use of meropenem in children with sepsis, especially in those receiving continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). We aimed to investigate the pharmacokinetic (PK) parameters of meropenem in children with sepsis receiving extracorporeal life support (ECLS). Methods: This was a prospective observational clinical study of children with sepsis receiving ECMO or CRRT in the paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) of a children's hospital. The enrolled children received 20 mg/kg meropenem infusion over 1 hour, every 8 hours, and were grouped into children receiving ECMO, children receiving CRRT and children receiving neither ECMO nor CRRT. Plasma meropenem concentrations were determined using a validated high‐performance liquid chromatography‐tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC‐MS/MS). The key PK parameters were determined using the non‐compartmental approach. Results and discussion: Twenty‐seven patients were finally enrolled. The eCLCR of the CRRT group was lower than that of the ECMO group. The values of elimination half‐life (t1/2), area under the plasma concentration‐time curve (AUCtau), area under the plasma concentration‐time curve from time zero to infinity (AUC0‐∞), and total clearance (CL) in the ECMO group were not different from those of the other groups (all p > 0.05). However, the AUCtau (p = 0.0137) and AUC0‐∞ (p = 0.0234) significantly decreased after filtration through a hemofiltration membrane in patients receiving CRRT. What is new and Conclusion: No significant alterations in the PK parameters of meropenem occurred in children with sepsis administered ECMO and/or CRRT. Further investigations including PK modelling could provide evidence for appropriate meropenem dosing regimens during ECLS administration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sepsis is a critical condition affecting patients worldwide. Systemic inflammatory response syndrome in sepsis contributes to organ dysfunction and mortality. The oXiris is a recently developed continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) hemofilter indicated for the adsorption of cytokines from the bloodstream. In our study, in a septic child, CRRT with three filters, including the oXiris hemofilter, resulted in a downregulation of inflammatory biomarkers and a reduction of vasopressors. Herein, we described the first report of such usage in septic children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This animal experiment was framed to evaluate the beneficial effect of ginsenoside Rg1 (GRg1) against imiquimod (IMQ)‐induced psoriasis‐like dermatitis model to reveal the underpinning mechanism. Fifty healthy BALB/c mice were divided into five groups as control, GRg1, IMQ induced, oral treatment of GRg1 (50 mg/kg), or dexamethasone (DXM; 10 mg/kg) in IMQ‐induced mice. Treatment with GRg1 or DXM significantly mitigates (p < .01) psoriasis area severity index (PASI) score, skin thickness, lipid peroxidation, and inflammatory markers (IL‐23, 22, 17A, 1β, and TNF‐α). Moreover, administration of GRg1 or DXM considerably reversed the morphological changes induced by IMQ with improved (p < .01) antioxidant activity (SOD, CAT). In addition, a marked downregulation (p < .01) of protein expressions of pIκB and NF‐κB p65 (NF‐κB signaling pathway) were noted in GRg1 group. Collectively, GRg1 or DXM treatment significantly abolishes IMQ‐induced psoriasis‐like dermatitis by lowering PASI score, inflammation through downregulating NF‐κB signaling pathway. Practical applications: This is the very first study to explore the efficacy of ginsenoside Rg1 (GRg1) against IMQ‐induced psoriasis in the mice model to reveal the underpinning mechanism. The results clearly showed that GRg1 potent anti‐psoriasis activity by lowering PASI score, inflammation through downregulating NF‐κB signaling pathway. Hence, this study helps in the development of novel nutraceutical/functional food against psoriasis and thus could improve the quality of life in psoriasis patients. However, further clinical trials are needed to justify the above results before developing a commercial functional food using GRg1 against psoriasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]