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Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the respiratory tract characterized by recurrent wheezing, coughing, and a feeling of tightness in the chest due to airway obstruction. Current treatments are considered ineffective and have long-lasting side effects. Therefore, an inhalation drug delivery system was developed so that the drug can reach the target in the lungs, minimize side effects, and increase its efficacy. The most common asthma treatment today is inhaled corticosteroid therapy, however, long-term therapy has the potential to cause side effects. Galangal root extract contains a bioactive compound galangin that has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial activities. Due to its low water solubility and low bioavailability, galangin was encapsulated in chitosan nanoparticles. This study aims to obtain galangin-loaded chitosan nanoparticles as a dry powder inhalation formulation prepared using ionotropic-gelation and freeze-drying methods. Sodium tripolyphosphate and mannitol were used as the crosslinking agent and cryoprotectant agent, respectively. The characteristics of the galangal rhizome extract and galangin-loaded nanoparticles was obtained, followed by the determination of the in-vitro release profile of the extracts as galangin in simulated body fluid media. The results obtained indicate that the galangal extract loaded-chitosan nanoparticles can be an alternative formula for the treatment of asthma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Curcumin and mangostin compounds contained in turmeric root and mangosteen rind are widely known as active compounds that have antioxidant activity. These two active compounds are also known to have low solubility in aqueous solutions, so mixing them in nanoemulsions is expected to increase their solubility in body fluids. This study aims to formulate and characterize nanoemulsions containing mangosteen peel extract in natural eutectic solvent (NADES) and turmeric extract in virgin coconut oil (VCO), as a healthy herbal drink. In this study, NADES consisted of 1,2-propanediol, and betaine was applied to increase the solubility of α-mangostin in the aqueous phase, while curcumin from turmeric extract was dissolved in the VCO. The oil-in-water nanoemulsion has variations in the mass ratio of the aqueous phase to the oily phase, and variations in the content of xanthan gum as a thickener about 0.50 g - 0.15 g. Stability test using accelerated centrifugation method and freeze-thaw method showed the nanoemulsion was stable for more than one year. The pH values of various nanoemulsions were constant in the range of 6.4 - 6.8 which is a good criterion for a healthy drink. The emulsion droplet size ranged from 300 nm to 600 nm and the zeta potential value ranged from -19 mV to -44 mV, these results also indicated a stable nanoemulsion. The results of the freeze-thaw test showed that the nanoemulsion could maintain its stability under extreme conditions. The phenolic content and antioxidant activity of the nanoemulsion showed values ranging from 22 to 38 mg Gallic Acid Equivalent (GAE) /100 g sample and 30 - 55 µmol Fe (II)/100 g sample, respectively. From the antioxidant test using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), the nanoemulsion had an inhibition percentage close to 80% at a concentration of about 500,000 ppm. The stability of nanoemulsions in simulated gastrointestinal fluids showed that nanoemulsions were stable in them, thus potentially increasing the bioavailability of herbal extracts in gastrointestinal fluids. However, further research on the number of bioactive extracts in nanoemulsions needs to be reviewed by taking into account the safe limits of phenolic compounds from plants that can be consumed daily. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cytotoxicity, antioxidant activity, and a total bioactive assay of the ethanolic extract of Annona muricata leave partitioned into water, n-hexane, and methanol fractions were investigated. The brine shrimp lethality test used for the cytotoxicity assay gave the LC50 values of 84 and 1 ppm for the n-hexane and methanol fractions, respectively. The antioxidant activity determined using DPPH reagent gave IC50 values of 40, 15, and 8 ppm for the n-hexane, water, and methanol fractions, respectively. In addition, the total polyphenol and the total acetogenin content of the methanol fraction were also the highest among the three fractions. These results indicate that the methanol fraction of the Annona muricata has the highest potential as a source for naturally occurring antitumor and antioxidant compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Curcuminoids, natural polyphenolic compounds extracted from the rhizomes of turmeric (Curcuma longa L), are known to have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-carcinogenic, antiviral, and antifungal actions. It is also known that the delivery of curcuminoids for local and treatment of gastric disorders, such as gastric ulcers, can use gastro-retentive floating (GRF) devices. The purpose of this research is to formulate and evaluate a floating tablet of curcuminoids that have a longer residence time in the stomach for the treatment of gastric ulcers. The GRF tablets were formulated by mixing the extract of turmeric that contains curcuminoids with low-density hydroxypropyl methylcelluloses (HPMC) polymers, such as HPMC K4M, HPMC E15, and ethyl cellulose (EC) in different weight ratios. An effervescent agent that can form a floating system was also added. The GRF tablets were prepared using the direct compression technique. The characterization of the tablet included the weight variation, hardness, friability, drug loading, in vitro dissolution studies, and floating lag time. The combination of ethyl cellulose and HPMC K4M in the formulation of GRF tablet showed good characteristics of mass uniformity, hardness, and friability, as well as low floating lag time and high curcuminoids cumulative release in the stomach. The result showed that the GRF tablet has potential as a floating system for delivering curcuminoids to the gastric area via oral administration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long-term drug release is needed to treat ocular diseases, especially in the posterior region where the retina is located. Dexamethasone, an anti-inflammation drug, was encapsulated in biocompatible and biodegradable polylactic acid/polylactic-co-glycolic acid (PLA, PLGA 90:10, PLGA 50:50) nanoparticles prepared using the solvent evaporation method. The surface of the nanoparticles was modified with didodecyldimethylammonium bromide (DDAB), a cationic surfactant, to increase the residence time in the vitreous, by contacting the nanoparticles with various surfactant solutions (PVA, DDAB-1%, PVA-DDAB-0.5%, PVA-DDAB-1%). Those modified using DDAB-1% solution exhibit the highest positive zeta potential (52.7±9.3 mV) and the smallest particle size (329±44 nm). Dexamethasone released into a buffer release media (45°C, 100 rpm) from nanoparticles with higher lactic acid content (PLA and PLGA 90:10) showed zero- order release profile up to 48 days with 30-70% accumulative release. On the other hand, the DDAB release profiles show that after 6-12 days, the cationic surfactant was detached from the surface of the nanoparticles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]