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Background: Although transplantation, surgical resection, and tumor ablation are treatment options available following early diagnosis of HCC, poor prognosis and high recurrence rates restrict the efficacy of these approaches. Hence, small molecules with high selectivity and bioactivity are urgently required. Objective: This study presents the synthesis of a series of new triazolothiadiazole derivatives (1a-3j) with NSAID moieties and their cytotoxic bioactivities. Methods: The new synthetic derivatives (1-3; 1a-3j) and NSAIDs ibuprofen, naproxen, and flurbiprofen that commonly used in clinics were screened against human liver (Huh7), breast (MCF7), and colon (HCT116) carcinoma cell lines under in vitro conditions via NCI-sulforhodamine B assay. Results: The 4-methoxyphenyl substituted condensed derivatives 1h, 2h, and 3h were the most active compounds. Based on its high potency, compound 3h was selected for the further biological evaluation of hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines, and the mechanisms underlying cell death induced by 3h were determined. The results revealed that compound 3h induced apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in the sub G1 phase in human liver cancer cells. Conclusion: These new small molecules may be used for the development of new lead compounds.

Flurbiprofen, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, reportedly exhibits chemical chaperone activity. Herein, we investigated the role of flurbiprofen in regulating serotonin transporter (SERT) function via membrane trafficking. We used COS-7 cells transiently expressing wild-type (WT) SERT or a C-terminus-deleted mutant of SERT (SERTΔCT), a misfolded protein. Flurbiprofen treatment reduced the expression of immaturely glycosylated SERT and enhanced the expression of maturely glycosylated SERT. In addition, we observed increased serotonin uptake in SERT-expressing cells. These results suggest that flurbiprofen modulates SERT function by promoting membrane trafficking. In SERTΔCT-expressing cells, flurbiprofen reduced the protein expression and uptake activity of SERTΔCT. Furthermore, flurbiprofen inhibited the formation of SERTΔCT aggregates. Studies using flurbiprofen enantiomers suggested that these effects of flurbiprofen on SERT were not mediated via cyclooxygenase inhibition. The levels of GRP78/BiP, an endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress marker, were assessed to elucidate whether flurbiprofen can ameliorate SERTΔCT-induced ER stress. Interestingly, flurbiprofen induced GRP78/BiP expression only under ER stress conditions and not under steady-state conditions. In HRD1 E3 ubiquitin ligase knockdown cells, flurbiprofen affected the ER-associated degradation system. Collectively, the findings suggest that flurbiprofen may function as an inducer of molecular chaperones, in addition to functioning as a chemical chaperone.

Triazole is an imperative heterocycle renowned for its broad-spectrum biological significance. In this manuscript, facile microwave-assisted synthesis of a series of 4-(benzylideneamino)-3-(1-(2-fluoro-[1,1'-biphenyl]-4-yl)ethyl)-1H-1,2,4-triazole-5(4H)-thione 6(a-m) derivatives along with their in vivo analgesic activity is reported. 2-(2-Fluoro-[1,1'-biphenyl]-4-yl)propanoic acid (flurbiprofen) was converted to methyl 2-(2-fluoro-[1,1'-biphenyl]-4-yl)propanoate using microwave irradiation, followed by its hydrazinolysis with hydrazine monohydrate. 2-(2-Fluoro-[1,1'-biphenyl]-4-yl)propanehydrazide thus obtained was converted to 4-amino-3-(1-(2-fluoro-[1,1'-biphenyl]-4-yl)ethyl)-1H-1,2,4-triazole-5(4H)-thione, followed by its condensation with different aromatic aldehydes to get the title compounds. Structures of all the synthesized compounds were established using different methods (1H NMR and 13C NMR spectroscopies, mass spectrometry, and elemental analysis) and evaluated for their potential as analgesic agents by tail flick, hot plate, and writhing methods. The results of this in vivo study revealed several compounds as potent analgesic agents among which compound 6e showed significant analgesic effect for all the three assays employed.

Attempts were made to improve solubility and the liquisolid technology dissolving of medication flurbiprofen. Liquisolid pill was developed utilizing transcutol-HP, polyethylene glycol 400, Avecil PH 102 carrier material and Aerosil 200 layer coating material. Suitable excipient amounts were determined to produce liquisolid powder using a mathematical model. On the other hand, flurbiprofen tablet with the identical composition, directly compressed, was manufactured for comparison without the addition of any unvolatile solvent. Both powder combination characterizations and after-compression tablets were evaluated. The pure drug and physical combination, and chosen liquisolid tablets were studied in order to exclude interacting with the differentional scanning calorimetry (DSC) and fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The results showed that transcutol is the ideal solvent with a solubility of 260±3.9 mg/ml in flurbiprofen. All formula developed were determined to be flowable within the specified limitations. The transcutol-like liquidsolid tablet formula of 35 percent w/w flurbiprofen and carrier to coating ratio of 10 was the most acceptable for the disintegration time, the tablet weight and other approved tablet characteristics. DSC thermographs demonstrated the development of a solid flurbiprofen amorphic solid solution for both the physical blend of the chosen liquisolid system and its tablets. The lack of chemicals interaction in medication and other components of the formula was demonstrated by the retention of all flurbiprofen characteristic peaks in all FTIR spectra. As an option to enhance solubility and dissolve flurbiprofen, which has a poor water solubility, liquisolid tablet has been evaluated.

The aim of this analysis is to see how effective a Nanosponge-loaded topical gel is at distributing flurbiprofen through the skin. Flurbiprofen was entrapped in Nanosponge and formulated into a gel for this purpose. Flurbiprofen Nanosponges were developed by solvent evaporation using pluronic F68 and ethyl cellulose. The particle size and entrapment quality were discovered to be in the range of 200-410 nm and 90.94% to 98.68%, respectively. For gel formulation, Nanopsonges with high entrapment efficiency and the smallest particle size (F3) were chosen based on the characterization. Using Guar gum, Carbopol, and HPMC K4M, a total of 6 formulations were produced to determine the sustained drug release and were tested for physiochemical tests, producing positive results. According to the findings of the above in vitro drug release trials, formulations containing carbopol release more drug at the end of 11 hours than other formulations and follow a zero-order with case II transport mechanism.

Background The aim of the study was to evaluate the suitability of triclosan (TCS) and flurbiprofen (FLB) with poly-ε-caprolactone (PCL), chitosan (CS), and Kolliphor® P188 (KP) for possible application in the design of nano-formulations. Results Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed the physical characteristics of the various sample compositions without any apparent interaction. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR)’s spectra of the physical mixtures showed their characteristic absorption bands with broadening and overlapping of bands in some instances, but no appearance of new bands was observed. Conclusion The study revealed the physical form stability of the evaluated components after the storage period and lack of definite pharmaceutical incompatibility between them. Thus, the selected drugs and excipients could be used for the development of pharmaceutical nano-formulations.

Purpose The objective of this study was to optimize the Flurbiprofen (FB) nanosuspension (NS) based gel and to investigate the in vitro release, ex vivo permeation, the plasma concentration-time profile and pharmacokinetic parameters. Methods FB-NSs were developed using the wet milling process with the Design of Experiment (DoE) approach. The optimum FB-NS was characterized on the basis of SEM, DSC, XRPD, solubility and permeation studies. The dermal gel was prepared by incorporating FB-NS into HPMC gel. Then the in-vitro release, ex vivo permeation studies were performed, and pharmacokinetic studies were evaluated on rats. Results The particle size, polydispersity index and zeta potential values of optimum NS were determined as 237.7 +/- 6.8 nm, 0.133 +/- 0.030 and - 30.4 +/- 0.7 mV, respectively. By means of the surfactant content and nanosized particles of the nanosuspension, the solubility of FB was increased about 7-fold. The percentage permeated amount of FB from FB-NS gel (8.40%) was also found to be higher than the physical mixture (5.25%) and coarse suspension (reference) (2.08%) gels. The pharmacokinetic studies showed that the C-max of FB-NS gel was 2.5 times higher than the reference gel, while AUC(0-24) was 2.96 times higher. Conclusion FB-NSs were successfully prepared with a wet milling method and optimized with the DoE approach. The optimized FB nanosuspension gel provided better permeation and pharmacokinetic performance compared to FB coarse suspension gel.

The present investigation developed the ester prodrugs of Non-steroidal anti inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), Mefenamic acid and Flurbiprofen by conjugating with the natural antioxidant, 4-methyl umbelliferone that resulted the formation of Mefenamic acid-umbelliferone ester prodrug and Flurbiprofen-umbelliferone ester prodrug .The principal objective this study is the synthesis of the ester prodrugs of NSAIDs with the enhanced therapeutic activity and minimized side effects. Prodrugs were synthesized by coupling method using N,N’- dicyclohexylcarbodiimide/4-dimethylaminopyrimidine, subjected to physical, chemical characterization, spectral characterization (IR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR and Mass spectra),hydrolysis-kinetic study and pharmacological evaluation such as anti-inflammatory, ulcerogenecity as well as the effect of the NSAIDs in the central nervous system against degenerative mechanisms. The current study revealed that the umbelliferone conjugates of NSAIDs which upon administration would release the parent drug as a result of enzymatic or non-enzymatic hydrolysis in the desired site with enhanced anti inflammatory activity and reduction in the gastro intestinal toxicity. Also the synthesized pordrugs showed enhanced brain targeting efficiency with protective action against the degenerative processes.

The contemporary research implicates the formulation and evaluation of a thermosensitive in situ nano gelling method to improve solubility and ocular residence time of flurbiprofen. This study was ...

For the quantification of flurbiprofen in rat plasma, a simple UPLC-MS/MS method with high sensitivity and short retention time for flurbiprofen was developed and validated using specific parameters. Etodolac was used as internal standard. The transitions (precursor to the product) of flurbiprofen and internal standard were obtained using the electrospray ionization in the negative ion multiple reaction monitoring mode, 243.2 → 199.2, 286.2 → 212.1, respectively. For chromatographic separation, C18 column was used for the stationary phase and gradient elution was used for the mobile phase. This mobile phase consisted of a methanol (A) and a 5 mM ammonium formate solution (B), which varied at a flow rate of 0.4 mL/min. For flurbiprofen, LLOQ was determined as 5 ng/mL. Quantification of flurbiprofen in the rat plasma with a linear calibration curve of 5–5000 ng/mL (r > 0.9991 for plasma) is possible with a retention time of 1.89 min. The total analysis time of the method was 3 min. The proposed method was validated. The intraday and inter-day precision (RSD%) and accuracy (RE%) were within 10% in all cases for flurbiprofen. The stability of flurbiprofen was evaluated under conditions such as short-term, long-term, autosampler and freeze/thaw. After method validation, flurbiprofen was succesfully quantified in real rat plasma samples.

Tazeen Husain, Muhammad Harris Shoaib, Farrukh Rafiq Ahmed, Rabia Ismail Yousuf, Sadaf Farooqi, Fahad Siddiqui, Muhammad Suleman Imtiaz, Madiha Maboos, Sabahat Jabeen Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi, 75270, PakistanCorrespondence: Muhammad Harris Shoaib; Farrukh Rafiq AhmedDepartment of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi, 75270, PakistanEmail harrisshoaib2000@yahoo.com; farrukh.ahmed@uok.edu.pkPurpose: This study systematically investigated the potential of four model drugs (verapamil HCl, flurbiprofen, atenolol, and furosemide), each belonging to a different class of Biopharmaceutics Classification Systems (BCS) to be developed into oral modified release dosage forms after loading with halloysite nanotubes (HNTs).Methods: The drugs were studied for their loading (mass gain %) by varying solvent system, method, pH, and ratios of loading into the nanotubes using D-optimal split-plot design with the help of Design Expert software. Drug-loaded halloysites were characterized by XRD, DTA, FTIR, SEM, and HPLC-UV-based assay procedures. Dissolution studies were also performed in dissolution media with pH 1.2, 4.5, and 6.8. Moreover, the optimized samples were evaluated under stress stability conditions for determining prospects for the development of oral dosage forms.Results: As confirmed with the results of XRD and DTA, the drugs were found to be converted into amorphous form after loading with halloysite (HNTs). The drugs were loaded in the range of ∼ 7– 9% for the four drugs, with agitation providing satisfactory and equivalent loading as compared to vacuum plus agitation based reported methods. FTIR results revealed either only weak electrostatic (verapamil HCl and flurbiprofen) or no interaction with the surface structure of the HNTs. The dissolution profiling depicted significantly retarded release of drugs with Fickian diffusion from a polydisperse system as a model that suits well for the development of oral dosage forms. HPLC-UV-based assay indicated that except furosemide (BCS class IV), the other three drugs are quite suitable for development for oral dosage forms.Conclusion: The four drugs investigated undergo phase transformation with HNTs. While agitation is an optimum method for loading drugs with various physicochemical attributes into HNTs; solvent system, loading ratios and pH play an important role in the loading efficiency respective to the drug properties. The study supports the capability of developing HNT-based modified release oral dosage forms for drugs with high solubility.Keywords: halloysite nanotubes, HNT, biopharmaceutics classification system, drug release kinetics, verapamil HCl, flurbiprofen, atenolol, furosemide, XRD, DTA, FTIR, SEM

Background Present investigation for research was to develop matrix-type transdermal drug delivery system of flurbiprofen (FBP) with the various ratio of matrix polymers (hydrophilic and hydrophobic), the concentration of plasticizer and natural penetration enhancer by Box–Behnken statistical design to investigate the combined outcome of selected independent variables for effective management of rheumatoid arthritis. The influence of a binary mixture of polymers, plasticizer and penetration enhancer on physicochemical considerations including thickness, tensile strength, percent elongation, weight variation, percent moisture content, percent moisture uptake, water vapour transmission rate, folding endurance, drug content, in vitro drug dissolution study and then ex vivo drug permeation study was evaluated. Results The study demonstrated that the tensile strength of films improved by matrix polymer ratio and to a slighter gradation in the rise of plasticizer and natural penetration enhancer. Ex vivo drug permeation study was accompanied via excised porcine skin as a permeation barrier in Franz diffusion cell. Ex vivo drug permeation study indicated that matrix polymer ratio (HPMC K15M:ERL100) at 3:1 and natural penetration enhancer (d-limonene) at highest concentration 7.5% w/w containing formulation FBPT7 delivered maximum flux and supplementary improved the permeation of drug. The result of the skin irritation test revealed that the developed formulation is free from any type of skin irritation effects like erythema and oedema. Conclusion Based on the findings of this research, it can be established that a well-controlled release and very effective skin penetration of the drug was accomplished by the film FBPT7 in the existence of permeation enhancers for prolonged periods.

An HPLC method that separates four Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (Ketoprofen, Naproxen, Ibuprofen, and Flurbiprofen) and three of the four pairs of enantiomers in one run is reported. The NSAID samples were prepared with 1 mg/mL of Ketoprofen, Naproxen, Ibuprofen and Flurbiprofen, and 0.5 mg/mL thiourea as a t0 marker in a sample solvent consisting of 1: 1 acetonitrile and 0.2% formic acid. The separation of the enantiomers of the NSAIDs was investigated using a chiral column in two different lengths (5-cm, 10-cm) packed with Amylose tris(3,5-dimethylphenylcarbamate) coated on silica gel and using a tandem column that consists of a biphenyl column connected by a zero dead volume connector to a 5-cm chiral column packed with amylose tris(3,5-dimethylphenylcarbamate) coated on silica gel. Both isocratic and step-gradient methods were investigated, and the results of the different methods were compared to determine the benefits and drawbacks of each approach, with an emphasis on the resolution and analysis time.

The present investigation aimed at developing core–shell structured partially etherified fenugreek seed mucilage (EFSM)-sodium alginate (SA) based microhybrids for controlled delivery of flurbiprofen (FLU) by combined gastroretentive bioadhesion and floating approaches. In this milieu, EFSM (degree of carboxymethyl substitution, 0.71) was firstly synthesized and analyzed through 1H NMR and SEM studies. FLU-loaded EFSM-SA core hybrids were subsequently afforded by Ca2+-induced gelation protocol with and without incorporating low-density additives (such as, sunflower oil and calcium silicate) in the formulations. The core matrices were then coated by bioadhesive guar gum (GG)-SA gel membrane utilizing interfacial complexation technique. The developed microhybrids portrayed outstanding drug entrapping efficiency (DEE, 45–89%) and delayed drug eluting behaviour (Q8h, 56–85%). These attributes were significantly influenced by various formulation variables like polymer-blend (EFSM:SA) ratios, low-density additive types and GG-SA coating inclusion. The drug dissolution profile of the core–shell structured microhybrids (F-7) obeyed zero-order kinetic model and its drug transport was driven by case-II mechanism. The formulation (F-7) also demonstrated excellent gastroretentive characteristics and biodegradability. The molar mass ( $$\overline{\mathrm{M}}$$ c) between crosslinks of microhybrids (F-7) calculated utilizing Flory-Rehner equation was decreased with temperature. Furthermore, the microhybrids were characterized for drug-excipients compatibility, thermal behaviour, drug crystallinity and surface morphology. These novel composite matrices were thus evidenced to be appropriate for controlled intragastric delivery of FLU for inflammation and arthritis management.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and antibiotics are classes of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), which are continuously contaminating the ecosystem through various anthropogenic activities. Because of their pseudo-persistence in the aquatic environment and their potentially chronic effects on aquatic life, it is important to closely monitor their concentrations in the aquatic environment using a sensitive analytical method. Sustainable aqueous biphasic systems (ABSs) composed of ionic liquids and biodegradable organic salt (sodium malate) were proposed. The phase diagrams of the systems were firstly determined, and [N4444]Cl-based ABS was selected for the simultaneous extraction and preconcentration of seven APIs. With the developed ABS, extraction efficiencies of APIs close to 100% were obtained. For the developed method, limits of detection (LODs) of 45, 65, 76, 14, 60, 48, and 51 ng L-1 were obtained for indomethacin, ibuprofen, diclofenac, naproxen, ketoprofen, flurbiprofen, and chloramphenicol, respectively, providing from 1216- to 1238-fold improvement as compared with the analysis without preconcentration. From an economic and environmental point of view, we can predict the prospects and competitive position of the method developed.

The first palladium-catalyzed Ugi-type multicomponent reaction for the synthesis of N-acyl anthranilamides from isocyanides, 2-iodoanilines and carboxylic acids has been developed. This method provides expeditious and highly efficient access to structurally diverse N-acyl anthranilamides from readily available starting materials with good functional group compatibility. The utility of this method has been demonstrated by the late stage functionalization of two commercial drugs: Flurbiprofen and Loxoprofen.

The copper-catalyzed substitution reaction of 5-(TBDPS-oxy)-1-(TMS)pent-1-yn-3-yl phosphate with [3-(cyclopentyloxy)-4-methoxyphenyl]MgBr, followed by several transformations, afforded the tumor necrosis factor inhibitor possessing a Ph-acetylene moiety. The inhibitor was also synthesized from 5-(TBDPS-oxy)-1-(Ph)pent-1-yn-3-yl phosphate. Furthermore, the substitution of 4-(TMS)but-3-yn-2-yl and 4-methyl-1-(TMS)pent-1-yn-3-yl phosphates with (2-fluoro-[1,1'-biphenyl]-4-yl)MgBr gave the corresponding substitution products, which were transformed to flurbiprofen and its i-Pr analogue. The copper-catalyzed substitutions in these syntheses proceeded in a regio- and stereoselective manner.

Rob Turner,1 Sean Robert Wevrett,1 Suzanne Edmunds,1 Marc Brown,1 Anuradha Kulasekaran,2 Oluwajoba Adegoke,2 John Farrah2 1MedPharm Ltd, Guildford, UK; 2Reckitt Benckiser Healthcare International Ltd., Slough, Berkshire, UKCorrespondence: Oluwajoba AdegokeReckitt Benckiser Healthcare International Ltd, Slough, Berkshire, UKTel +44 1482 582134Email joba.adegoke@rb.comObjective: Flurbiprofen 8.75 mg lozenge and spray are used for symptomatic relief of sore throat, with a rapid onset of analgesia suggesting a localized mechanism of action. Building on previous studies, this investigation aimed to use microautoradiography to visualize the depth penetration of radiolabeled flurbiprofen into human pharynx tissue using an ex vivo model. Quantification of flurbiprofen in the tissue was performed to provide a quantitative representation of flurbiprofen distribution through the tissue.Methods: Cadaveric human pharynx tissue was mounted between the donor and receiver compartments of a Franz diffusion cell. After that 8.75 mg spray and dissolved lozenge formulations, containing radiolabeled flurbiprofen, were added to the donor compartment of a Franz diffusion cell. After incubation for one hour, the pharynx tissue was removed, processed, and sectioned both horizontally and vertically. The sections were placed within an imaging cassette to determine the penetration of radiolabeled flurbiprofen visually, before being solubilized to quantify the amount of flurbiprofen present in each section.Results: In the horizontally sectioned samples, flurbiprofen was present in the top layers of all replicates and decreased in intensity throughout the tissue. Of the applied dose, 48.0– 99.9% of flurbiprofen was detected in the top one-third of the pharynx tissue, closest to the dosing site, and 0– 14.8% of flurbiprofen was detected within the deepest third of pharynx tissue, furthest from the dosing site. In the vertically sectioned tissue samples, radiolabeled flurbiprofen was found at a high intensity at the dosing site and reduced in intensity throughout the thickness of the tissue. Lateral penetration of flurbiprofen was also seen in tissue dosed with the spray.Conclusion: Our findings demonstrate that lozenge and spray formulations of flurbiprofen can penetrate throughout the layers of cadaveric human pharynx tissue in an ex vivo model, as visualized by microautoradiography.Keywords: flurbiprofen, Franz diffusion cell, microautoradiography, pharynx

For the development and analysis of Flurbiprofen (FBP) loaded Eudragit L100 nanoparticles the Central composite design (CCD), a response surface methodology, was used for optimization the HPLC process. The desired method development was made on the HPLC gradient System with auto injector. A stationary phase, composed of C18 (AGILENT) with a sample size of 20µl and a particle size of 5µl, was included in the method. The column size was 4.6 × 250 mm with temperature 22.5 °C at 247 nm was detected by the analytes. Acetonitrile (ACN): Methanol (MeOH): 0.05% ortho phosphoric acid in water (82.5: 5: 12.5) with a pH value of 3. The linearity, precision, accuracy, repeatability, recovery, robustness, and ANOVAs test, the approach mentioned was validated with good results and coefficient correlation (R2) 0.994. Its acceptance conditions were met with the outcome of each parameter.

The capability of novel solubilizer sepitrap 80 and sepitrap 4000 to enhance the solubility, dissolution was assessed in current investigation through the formation of simple physical mixture with a poorly aqueous soluble drug Flurbiprofen, phenylalkanoic acid derivative from non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).The physical mixtures were prepared in 1: 1, 1: 2 and 1: 3 proportions with sepitrap 80 and sepitrap 4000 and characterized for saturation solubility, dissolution, and stability studies. The physicochemical properties of physical mixtures with solubilizer were confirmed by DSC, PXRD, and SEM. Saturation solubility was carried in order to determine solubility of drug in distilled water. The physical mixtures exhibited solubility of 261% and 369.87%with sepitrap 80 and sepitrap 4000. The dissolution rate and solubility were undoubtedly improved by physical mixtures as compared to model drug alone. Physical mixtures incorporated with sepitrap 4000 at 1: 2 ratio proved better thansepitrap 80. Hence, the sepitrap could be exploited as a solubilizer to improve the solubility of Flurbiprofen.

Flurbiprofen via oral route has many side effects. Many inflammatory infections occur locally and close to the body's surface, so topical application of flurbiprofen is advantageous. Still, intact skin acts as a barrier and hampers skin penetration of the drug. Present objective of this work was to reduce the adverse effect of flurbiprofen and increase its bioavailability by formulating Flurbiprofen microemulsion based gel, evaluating it for its Physico-chemical properties and then finally conducting its in-vitro and animal studies to determine its efficiency. Arachis oil was selected as an oil phase as flurbiprofen showed maximum solubility in it. Microemulsion formulations (A1 to A9) were prepared by varying the qty of tween 80 (as a surfactant) and propylene glycol (as co-surfactant). Microemulsions which were found to give satisfactory results w.r.t microemulsion formation (F1 to F5) were converted to microemulsion gel using Carbopol 934 as gel base. The ability of different microemulsions to penetrate flurbiprofen through the skin was in-vitro evaluated. All the formulations were evaluated for their quantity of drug present in the formulation, pH, Viscosity, Spreadability, in vitro diffusion study. Formula F4, which showed good Physico-chemical properties, was subjected to anti-inflammatory study. Results showed that pH, spreadability, viscosity and amount of active ingredient present in formulations were in an acceptable limit. The standard calibration curve for flurbiprofen depicts the linear association between concentration and absorbance. The formulation F4 has the highest % release, 90.54% also showed a higher % inhibition of paw oedema after 4 hrs than marketed formulation.

X-ray is an ionizing-radiation and it has been used in many processes due to the developing technology. For security purposes, X-ray instruments are been using at the entrance of the airports, shopping centers, etc. In this study, potential effects of X-ray were investigated on five different types of drugs: analgesics (acetaminophen, acetylsalicylic acid, naproxen, flurbiprofen), proton pump inhibitors (lansoprazole, pantoprazole sodium sesquihydrate), anti-diabetics (metformin HCl, pioglitazone), heart failure drugs (verapamil HCl, spironolactone) and anti-hypertensives (losartan, clopidogrel hydrogen sulphate) by several different methods. In our previous study these drugs were analyzed by ESR before and after X-ray irradiation (0,24; 1,2; 58 mGy). According to the ESR results, acetylsalicylic acid tablets were affected after 58 mGy irradiation due to coated polymer (HPMC). In conclusion, these drugs were investigated before and after 0,24; 1,2 and 58 mGy X-ray irradiation by UV-spectrophotometry, dissolution test, SEM, FT-IR, DSC/TGA in this article. As a result of this study, X-ray did not cause a significant effect on drugs generally. Only a few significant differences were detected by different studies (for metformin HCl by DSC/TGA, for acetylsalicylic acid by dissolution test, and for acetaminophen and acetylsalicylic acid by UV spectrophotometry were detected significantly difference before and after irradiation).

The effective concentration of a drug in the blood, i.e. the concentration of a free drug in the blood, is influenced by the strength of drug binding onto plasma proteins. Besides its efficacy, these interactions subsequently influence the liberation, absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicological properties of the drug. It is important to not only determine the binding strength and stoichiometry, but also the binding site of a drug on the plasma protein molecule, because the co-administration of drugs with the same binding site can affect the above-mentioned concentration and as a result the pharmacological behavior of the drugs and lead to side effects caused by the change in free drug concentration, its toxicity. In this study, the binding characteristics of six drugs with human serum albumin, the most abundant protein in human plasma, were determined by capillary electrophoresis-frontal analysis, and the obtained values of binding parameters were compared with the literature data. The effect of several drugs and site markers on the binding of l-tryptophan and lidocaine to human serum albumin was investigated in subsequent displacement studies which thus demonstrated the usability of capillary electrophoresis as an automated high-throughput screening method for drug-protein binding studies.

Several epidemiologic, clinical and experimental reports indicate that nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) could have a potential as anticancer agents. The aim of this study was the evaluation of cytotoxic potential in human glioblastoma cells of novel synthesized NSAID derivatives, obtained by linking, through a spacer, α-lipoic acid (ALA) to anti-inflammatory drugs, such as naproxen (AL-3, 11 and 17), flurbiprofen (AL-6, 13 and 19) and ibuprofen (AL-9, 15 and 21). The effects on the level of gene expression were also determined using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) analysis. According to our results, NSAID derivatives exhibited concentration dependent cytotoxic effects on U87-MG cell line when compared with the control group. Moreover, treatment of the most active compounds (AL-3, AL-6 and AL-9) caused upregulation of tumor suppressor gene PTEN and downregulation of some oncogenes such as AKT1, RAF1 and EGFR. In conclusion, our results revealed that AL-3, AL-6 and AL-9 could be suitable candidates for further investigation to develop new pharmacological strategies for the prevention of cancer.

PubMed: 32416307 In present work, temperature-responsive flurbiprofen (FLU) containing chitosan/hydroxypropyl cellulose (CS/HPC) blend nanospheres were prepared using emulsion method. The structures of blend nanospheres were characterized by ATR-FTIR, XRD, SEM, DSC/TGA, zeta potential and particle size analyses. Their lower critical solution temperatures (LCST) were determined and found to be 42 °C. In vitro release studies were performed in gastrointestinal-tract simulated conditions at 30 °C, 37 °C and 44 °C. As the medium temperature was increased, the release of FLU decreased, indicating that blend nanospheres had temperature-responsive feature. The FLU release demonstrated that release profiles depend upon CS/HPC ratio, amount of FLU present in the nanospheres and percentage of cross-linker used. Moreover, the cytotoxicity tests were performed via MTT method and it was observed CS/HPC nanospheres were biocompatible. Based on the in vitro release profile and cytotoxicity studies, the fabricated CS/HPC blend nanospheres could be a promising candidate as a temperature-responsive nano-carrier for controlled drug release. © 2020 Elsevier B.V. 2014/39 The authors are thankful to the Scientific Research Projects Coordination Unit of Kırıkkale University [Project number: 2014/39 ] for their financial support.

A comparative theoretical study of some physicochemical properties of R and S enantiomers of ibuprofen, ketoprofen and flurbiprofen is undertaken in order to understand their reactivity. To do this, DFT and TD-DFT methods at the B3LYP/6-311G(d,p) level theory are used. The partition coefficient determined is 3.72 for ibuprofen, 2.81 for ketoprofen and 4.12. for flurbiprofen. That means that these NSAIDs are characterized by a high lipophilicity. The calculated Gibbs energies show that the R enantiomer is the most stable in the case of ibuprofen and the S enantiomer in the case of ketoprofen and flurbiprofen. The study of acidity shows that S enantiomer of ibuprofen and R enantiomers of ketoprofen and flurbiprofen are the most acidic enantiomers. TD-DFT calculations show that, the absorption maxima (λmax) of ibuprofen and flurbiprofen correspond to the HOMO→LUMO transition. For ketoprofen, these are associated with the transition HOMO→LUMO+1. These results elucidate the reactivity of the investigated NSAIDs and could help to establish a classification their efficacy.

Herein, we report novel macromolecular prodrugs (MPDs) of flurbiprofen (FLB) onto a cellulose ether, hydroxypropylcellulose (HPC). The FLB was activated with a powerful acylation reagent carbonyldiimadazole (CDI) in N,N′ dimethylacetamide (DMAc) solvent at room temperature. Imidazolide of FLB generated in situ reacts at 80 °C for 24 h with pre-dissolved HPC to prepare HPC-FLB conjugates. The resultant MPDs of FLB showed moderate to high degree of substitution (DS: 0.35–1.3) with good yield (70–82%). Structures were thoroughly characterized using FTIR, UV and NMR spectroscopic analyses. The pharmacokinetic studies showed that the t1/2 and tmax values of FLB from HPC-FLB conjugate were increased substantially as compare to standard FLB indicates enhanced bioavailability of drug after conjugate formation. Remarked anti-inflammatory activity of the HPC-FLB conjugate was also observed.

This study aims to explore the potential of gum extracted from okra fruit (Hibiscus esculentus) in developing hydrophilic matrices for controlled drug release applications, including determination of its percolation threshold. Flurbiprofen (poorly soluble), theophylline (sparingly soluble) and metformin (freely soluble) were employed as model drugs and incorporated using direct compression into matrices containing 40% w/w of three drugs with different physicochemical properties. Atomic force microscopy was used to study the surface texture properties of developed matrices; the surfaces of the flurbiprofen-based matrices were comparatively rough most likely as a consequence of its poor compactability. Swelling studies found that the swelling rate increased as the concentration of okra gum was increased. However, for all matrices, an increase in the gum concentration resulted in decreased drug release. The estimated percolation threshold of the okra gum calculated was found in the region of ~25% v/v plus initial porosity. Knowing the percolation threshold will enable formulators to use the minimal amount of polymer for sustain release matrices thus the controlling costs and maximising the sustainable potential of okra. This study will not only assist researchers in developing effective okra gum-based extended-release matrices but also expected to contribute towards its exploration at an industrial scale.

This powerful mass spectrometric technique was used to investigate four profen drugs which are widely used as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for treating pain, fever and inflammation: Ibuprofen (M = 206), Flurbiprofen (M = 244), Naproxen (M = 230) and Ketoprofen (M = 254). The DART ion source was operated in positive ion mode with helium as the ionizing medium heated to 250°C. A solution containing a mixture of poly (ethylene glycol) standards PEG 600 and PEG 200 was used for mass calibration. A standard solution of each pure standard was manually introduced by using a small glass rod. The high resolution mass spectra of Ibuprofen, Flurbiprofen, Naproxen and Ketoprofen showed the presence of an intense protonated molecular ion [M + H]+ at 207.13860, 245.09776, 231.10632 and 255.09966 Da, respectively. Moreover, a non-protonated molecular ion M+ was also observed except for Ketoprofen. On the other hand, an intense adduct ion [M + H2O]+ was also present in the four mass spectra. Since these profens are 2-arylpropionic acid derivatives they have a known tendency to form dimers; indeed, an intense protonated ion corresponding to this dimer [2M + H]+ was present in the spectrum of Ibuprofen, Flurbiprofen, Naproxen and Ketoprofen at 413.27102, 489.19944, 461.19266 and 509.19662 Da, respectively. The presence of profens as active ingredients was then investigated in various pharmaceutical tablets collected from the local market. A small piece of each solid tablet was submitted to the DART ion source without any sample preparation. The obtained mass spectrum showed the characteristic peaks corresponding to each profen as active principle, as well as the other ingredients of the tablet.

The present study was aimed to formulate and evaluate fast-disintegrating tablets (FDTs) having Flurbiprofen (FP) and Metoclopramide HCl (MHCl) in combination. Direct compression was used to formulate FDTs of FP and MHCl as a combination regimen in six formulations. FDTs are defined as solid oral dosage form that disintegrates rapidly within seconds when placed in the oral cavity. FDT-1, FDT-2, FDT-3, FDT-4, FDT-5, and FDT-6 were formulated using crospovidone, croscarmellose sodium, and sodium starch glycolate as superdisintegrants each in two formulations. Several pre-compression tests (angle of repose, bulk density, tapped density, Hausner’s ratio, and compressibility index), post-compression evaluation (weight variation, friability, hardness, disintegration time, wetting time, assay, in vitro dissolution study, release kinetics study, statistical analysis, and stability study), and drug compatibility study were done for all six formulations. Pre-compression evaluation showed good flow properties of powder blend. Drug compatibility study showed no interactions between active drugs and excipients. Disintegration and wetting time of all the formulations were in seconds indicating immediate release of drug. Optimized formulation (FDT-6) containing sodium starch glycolate in 15 mg gave 100% release in 15 min for MHCl and in 20 min for FP. Optimized formulation was found stable after being placed at accelerated stability conditions for 6 months. Release kinetics study showed that all formulations followed Korsmeyer-Peppas model indicating drug release from modified release dosage form. Statistical analysis revealed no significant difference statistically (p > 0.05) between drug release rate of all prepared formulations. FDTs improved the release rate that assured that this tactic may be beneficial to increase the dissolution rate of FP and MHCl in order to increase patient compliance.

Objective: The objective of the present study was to formulate flurbiprofen (FLB) emulgel, evaluation of the formulations and the selection of an optimized formulation through in vitro drug release and drug content studies. Flurbiprofen is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) requiring frequent administration and its chronic intake can lead to systemic side effects like gastric irritation and GI bleeding. The development of a dermal drug delivery system can overcome these side effects. Methods: The emulgel formulations were produced using different combinations of oil and emulsifying agents. Carbopol 940 was used as a gelling agent. The prepared emulgels were evaluated for general appearance, pH, spreadability, extrudability, drug content, in vitro drug release, average globule size and viscosity. Results: Optimized formulation F7 showed a better in vitro drug release compared to the marketed gel preparation. The stability study for the optimized formulation was carried out at 25 °C/60 % RH for 3 mo and the emulgel was found to be stable concerning the physical appearance, pH and drug content. Conclusion: The study revolved around the formulation of emulgel containing Flurbiprofen for dermal delivery of the drug. Emulgel was formulated with the purpose to enhance the permeation of poorly water-soluble drug FLB. The study concluded that the optimized emulgel containing FLB exhibited better in vitro drug release profile compared to the marketed formulation.

Flurbiprofen (FLB) is chemically 2-(3- fluoro-4-phenyl phenyl) propanoic acid. It is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) used in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. Oral administration of this drug is associated with severe gastrointestinal side effects like ulceration and gastrointestinal bleeding. The solution to this problem lies in the fact that topically applied NSAIDs are safer than orally. This study aims to prepare different topical semisolid formulation of FLB as cream base (o/w), (w/o) and gel base using different gel-forming agents in different concentrations. Comparing characterization properties in addition to release and diffusion study for all the prepared formulas to select the best one. Method: Topical semisolid FLB preparations were formulated using different semisolid formulation starting from emulsion bases w/o and o/w comparing with different gelling agents in different concentrations which include carbopol 934, sodium carboxy methylcellulose (SCMC) and combination of both polymer in different concentration to get 1% gelling agents. All the gel formulations were evaluated for physical appearance, pH, spreadability, rheological studies, drug content, in vitro release and diffusion studies. Results: All gel formulations which contain gelling agent exhibit better in vitro drug release and permeation compared with the emulsion bases, especially 1% polymer combination. Ethanol exerts a significant effect (p less than 0.05) on the in vitro drug release and diffusion for 2% carpbopol 934 compared with SCMC. Drug content was found to be uniform in all the formulations. The pH ranges of formulated gels were found to be suitable for topical application. Conclusion: Based on overall results, FLB can be successfully prepared as topical semisolid preparation with accepted properties.

Objective: The purpose of the present study was to develop a novel elastic bilayer vesicle entrapped with Flurbiprofen (FLB) for transdermal use to avoid adverse effect associated with oral administration of the drug. Encapsulation of drug in vesicle prolongs the existence of the drug in the systemic circulation and thus enhances penetration into the target site and reduces toxicity. Method: Niosomes were prepared using surfactants (span 40 and span 60) and cholesterol in the molar ratio of 1:1, 2:1, 3:1 and 3:2. Vesicles prepared by thin film hydration method were characterized for morphology, vesicle size and zeta potential, thermal analysis and Entrapment Efficiency (EE). Results: Results revealed that the EE and size of niosomes were influenced by surfactant type and cholesterol ratio. F8 (span 60: cholesterol in 3:2) exhibited the highest encapsulation of FLB (76.77 ± 0.55) with vesicle size of 154 ± 2.96 nm and Polydispersity Index (PDI) of 0.09. The optimized formulation F8 was selected for incorporation into the gel. Niosomal gel was evaluated for homogeneity, pH, spreadability and in-vitro drug release. Conclusion: All the parameters of niosomal gel were found to be satisfactory and in-vitro release study revealed prolonged and complete release of entrapped FLB (93.23±0.65%) in comparison to FLB hydrogel (42.65±0.29%). The results suggested that niosomes may serve as promising vehicles for the transdermal delivery of FLB.

A series of coordination polymers synthesized from a bis-pyridyl linker, namely 4,4'-azopyridine (L), selected non-steroidal-anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), namely diclofenac (Dic), ibuprofen (Ibu), flurbiprofen (Flu), mefenamic acid (Mefe), and naproxen (Nap), and Zn(NO3 )2 were characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction. One of the coordination polymers, namely CP3 derived from Flu, was able to form metallovesicles in DMSO, DMSO/H2 O and DMSO/DMEM (biological media) as revealed by TEM, AFM and DLS. Metallovesicle formation by CP3 was further supported by loading a fluorescent dye, namely calcein, as well as an anti-cancer drug, doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX), as revealed by UV-vis and emission spectra, and fluorescence microscopy. DOX-loaded metallovesicles of CP3 (DOX@CP3-vesicle) could be delivered in vitro to a highly aggressive human breast cancer cell line, namely MDA-MB-231, as revealed by MTT and cell migration assays, and also cell imaging performed under laser scanning confocal microscope (LSCM). Thus, a proof of concept for developing a multi-drug delivery system derived from a metallovesicle for delivering an anti-cancer drug to cancer cells is demonstrated for the first time.

Present study deals with fabrication of macromolecular prodrugs (MPDs) of flurbiprofen (FLB) with hydroxyethylcellulose (HEC). FLB was activated using p-toluenesulfonyl chloride and reacted with pre-dissolved HEC to yield HEC-FLB conjugates 1–3. Resultant prodrugs showed moderate to high degree of substitution (DS: 0.40–1.74) and assembled into nanoparticles of 220–550 nm at water/DMSO interface. Pharmacokinetic studies of HEC-FLB conjugate revealed a tmax of 4.0 h indicating delayed release of FLB while t1/2 of 10.63 h indicated sustained release characteristics of the conjugate in rabbit model. Pharmacological studies revealed that HEC-FLB conjugates had immunomodulatory potential as results showed 34 and 36% inhibition of Interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α, respectively. A 79% inhibition of paw edema indicated anti-inflammatory properties of the conjugates. Cell viability studies indicated safety of the conjugates to L929 cell lines up to 24 h in the range of 2–10 mM. Moreover, thermal analysis indicated greater stability of MPDs than FLB. Keywords: Hydroxyethylcellulose, Flurbiprofen, Prodrug, Immunomodulatory assay, Anti-inflammatory activity

In order to investigate the isomerization and conversion mechanism of the advantageous and widely used nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicine flurbiprofen, the hybrid density functional theory was applied. According to the results, the rearrangement reaction of (R)-flurbiprofen to its (S)-enantiomer happens in a [1,3]-hydrogen shifts with inversion of configuration at chiral center C14. From the calculated energies, it can be understood that the rate-limiting step in the flurbiprofen isomerization is the excitation of (R)-flurbiprofen methyl ester in its initial form to the first excited singlet state S1 at λ=243.91 nm. we studied this process by scanning the C14-H17 distance for the excited singlet to get more information about the process of isomerization occurring upon excitation. The results of calculations demonstrated that the isomerization process should pass through a ~71 kcal/mol barrier. The (S)-flurbiprofen methyl ester is more photostable than its related (R)-enantiomer. This issue can be attributed to the -1.50 kcal/mol of thermodynamic stability of the (S)-flurbiprofen methyl ester.

A method was developed and validated for the enantioselective determination of flurbiprofen in rat plasma using liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry under reversed-phase elution mode. Two polysaccharide derivatized chiral stationary phases and a homemade β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) derivatized based chiral column were evaluated. The latter one, a per-4-chlorophenylcarbamate-β-cyclodextrin bonded chiral stationary phase which was synthesized in our laboratory, enabled the highly sensitive detection and complete separation (resolution 2.0) of the flurbiprofen enantiomers. The assay was carried out after the solid-phase extraction procedure with C18 cartridges, and with R-(−)-ibuprofen used as the internal standard. The developed method has been validated for specificity, linearity, accuracy, precision, recovery, matrix effect, stability, carryover effect and dilution effect. The lower limit of quantification for R-flurbiprofen and S-flurbiprofen was 10 ng mL−1 in rat plasma, respectively. Linearity was confirmed in the range of 10.0–20000.0 ng mL−1 with a correlation coefficient (r2) greater than 0.996. The established method was successfully applied to a stereoselective pharmacokinetic study of flurbiprofen enantiomers in rat plasma following oral administration.

In order to devise more effective penetration enhancers, 4-O-acylterpineol derivatives which were expected to be hydrolyzed into nontoxic metabolites by esterase in the living epidermis, were synthesized from 4-terpineol (4-TER) enantiomers and straight chain fatty acids. Their promoting activities on the SR-flurbiprofen and its enantiomers were tested across full-thickness rabbit skin, as well as to correlate under in vitro and in vivo conditions. The permeation studies indicated that both d-4-O-acylterpineol and l-4-O-acylterpineol had significant enhancing effects, interestingly, d-4-O-aclyterpineol had higher enhancing effects than l-4-O-aclyterpineol with the exception of d-4-methyl-1-(1-methylethyl)-3-cyclohexen-1-yl octadec-9-enoate (d-4-T-dC18). The mechanism of 4-O-acylterpineol facilitating the drug penetration across the skin was confirmed by Attenuated total reflection-Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) and molecular simulation. The mechanism of penetration enhancers promoting drug release was explored by the in vitro release experiment. Finally, a relative safety skin irritation of enhancers was also investigated by in vivo histological evaluation. The present research suggested that d-4-O-aclyterpineol and l-4-O-aclyterpineol could significantly promote the penetration of SR-flurbiprofen and its enantiomers both in vitro and in vivo, with the superiorities of high flux and low dermal toxicity.

Synthesis of a compound with balanced bioactivities against a specific target is always a challenging task. In this study, a novel compound (1) has been synthesized by combination of flurbiprofen and isoniazide and shows ∼2.5 times enhanced acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibition activity and ∼1.7 times improved butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) inhibition activity compared to flurbiprofen and a standard drug (i.e. physostigmine). A comparative AutoDock study has been performed, based on the optimized structure, by the DFT/B3LYP method, which confirmed that compound (1) is more active against AChE and BuChE, with calculated binding energies of −12.9 kcal mol−1 and −9.8 kcal mol−1 respectively as compared to flurbiprofen and an eserine (physostigmine) standard for which the binding energy was calculated to be −10.1 kcal mol−1 and −8.9 kcal mol−1, respectively. A mixed mode of inhibition of AChE and BuChE with compound 1 was confirmed by Lineweaver–Burk plots. AChE and BuChE inhibition activity alongside docking results suggests that compound (1) could be used for treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Moreover, compound (1) also exhibit better α-chymotrypsin activity compared to flurbiprofen. Furthermore, in vitro and in vivo analysis confirmed that compound (1) exhibit more activity and less toxicity than the parent compounds.