Gary Martin - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Gary Martin
Nitric oxide : biology and chemistry / official journal of the Nitric Oxide Society, Sep 24, 2016
S-nitrosophytochelatins (SNOPCs) are novel analogues of S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO) with the adva... more S-nitrosophytochelatins (SNOPCs) are novel analogues of S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO) with the advantage of carrying varying ratios of S-nitrosothiol (SNO) moieties per molecule. Our aim was to investigate the in vivo pharmacological potency and biodistribution of these new GSNO analogues after intravenous (i.v.) and intranasal (i.n.) administration in mice. SNOPCs with either two or six SNO groups and GSNO were synthesized and characterized for purity. Compounds were administered i.v. or i.n. at 1 μmol NO/kg body weight to CD-1 mice. Blood pressure was measured and biodistribution studies of total nitrate and nitrite species (NOx) and phytochelatins were performed after i.v. administration. At equivalent doses of NO, it was observed that SNOPC-6 generated a rapid and significantly greater reduction in blood pressure (∼60% reduction compared to saline) whereas GSNO and SNOPC-2 only achieved a 30-35% decrease. The reduction in blood pressure was transient and recovered to baseline leve...
Drug Development and Industrial Pharmacy, 2008
During the copy-editing of your paper, the following queries arose. Please respond to these by ma... more During the copy-editing of your paper, the following queries arose. Please respond to these by marking up your proofs with the necessary changes/additions. Please write your answers on the query sheet if there is insufficient space on the page proofs. If returning the proof by fax do not write too close to the paper's edge. Please remember that illegible markups may delay publication. Many thanks for your assistance. Ref. no: Query Remarks 1 Au: Please check if the suggested running head is OK.
Pharmaceutics, 2020
There has been considerable recent interest in employing computer models to investigate the relat... more There has been considerable recent interest in employing computer models to investigate the relationship between the structure of a molecule and its dermal penetration. Molecular permeation across the epidermis has previously been demonstrated to be determined by a number of physicochemical properties, for example, the lipophilicity, molecular weight and hydrogen bonding ability of the permeant. However little attention has been paid to modeling the combined effects of permeant properties in tandem with the properties of vehicles used to deliver those permeants or to whether data obtained using synthetic membranes can be correlated with those obtained using human epidermis. This work uses Principal Components Analysis (PCA) to demonstrate that, for studies of the diffusion of three model permeants (caffeine, methyl paraben and butyl paraben) through synthetic membranes, it is the properties of the oily vehicle in which they are applied that dominated the rates of permeation and flux...
International journal of pharmaceutics, Jan 21, 2016
The diffusion process through a non-porous barrier membrane depends on the properties of the drug... more The diffusion process through a non-porous barrier membrane depends on the properties of the drug, vehicle and membrane. The aim of the current study was to investigate whether a series of oily vehicles might have the potential to interact to varying degrees with synthetic membranes and to determine whether any such interaction might affect the permeation of co-formulated permeants: methylparaben (MP); butylparaben (BP) or caffeine (CF). The oils (isopropyl myristate (IPM), isohexadecane (IHD), hexadecane (HD), oleic acid (OA) and liquid paraffin (LP)) and membranes (silicone, high density polyethylene and polyurethane) employed in the study were selected such that they displayed a range of different structural, physicochemical properties. Diffusion studies showed that many of the vehicles were not inert and did interact with the membranes resulting in a modification of the permeants' flux when corrected for membrane thickness (e.g. normalized flux of MP increased from 1.25±0.13...
Membranes, 2021
In many instances, one or more components of a pharmaceutical or cosmetic formulation is an oil. ... more In many instances, one or more components of a pharmaceutical or cosmetic formulation is an oil. The aims of this study were two-fold. First, to examine the potential of preferential uptake of one oily vehicle component over another into a model barrier membrane (silicone) from blended vehicles (comprising two from the common excipients isohexadecane (IHD), hexadecane (HD), isopropyl myristate (IPM), oleic acid (OA) and liquid paraffin). Second, to study the effect of membrane-vehicle interactions on the diffusion of model permeants (caffeine (CF), methyl paraben (MP) and butyl paraben (BP)) from blended vehicles. Selective sorption and partition of some oils (especially IHD and IPM) at the expense of other oils (such as OA) was demonstrated to take place. For example, the membrane composition of IHD was enriched compared to a donor solution of IHD-OA: 41%, 63% and 82% IHD, compared to donor solution composition of 25%, 50% and 75% IHD, respectively. Pre-soaking the membrane in IHD,...
Thermochimica Acta, 2004
A thermal analysis of the effect of hydration of non-aqueous polymer-stabilised gels was investig... more A thermal analysis of the effect of hydration of non-aqueous polymer-stabilised gels was investigated using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The interaction of water with the polymer and its distribution within the gel are critical to the physicochemical behaviour of the gel, and consequently affects the utility of the gel matrix as a drug delivery vehicle. Addition of water at levels up to and including 50% (w/w) did not result in an observable freezing event in the thermogram. However, at 60 and 80% (w/w) water, phase transitions were observed, the magnitude of which were found to be independent of the annealing time within the range used. The observed melting enthalpies increased as the water concentration increased for all formulations, but were always smaller than that of pure water. There was no evidence of multiple transitions that might be attributed to different populations of water molecules. However, the results demonstrate that DSC can be employed to differentiate between freezable and non-freezable water, in these particular formulations.
Purpose. To investigate the influence of type and amount of excipient on the preservation of the ... more Purpose. To investigate the influence of type and amount of excipient on the preservation of the native structure and the biologic activity of freeze-dried lysozyme and catalase. Methods. The secondary structure of protein in the dried form and in aqueous solution was obtained using second derivative infrared spectroscopy and circular dichroism spectra respectively whilst the activity was determined using bioassay. Results. Small molecular excipients (glycerol, sorbitol, 1,6anhydroglucose, sucrose, and trehalose) were found to stabilize the activity and/or the native structure of freeze-dried lysozyme and catalase, despite the processing temperatures being above TgЈ of excipient-protein mixtures. The preservation of catalase activity required excipient to be present at a lower excipient to enzyme mass ratio than that necessary to preserve native structure in the dried form. Combining dextran with sucrose synergistically protected the native structure of catalase but preserved the activity in an additive manner. Conclusion. The results indicate that the stabilization of catalase and lysozyme by excipients during dehydration was mainly due to water substitution rather than the formation of glass; the latter appearing not to be a prerequisite during freeze-drying.
ABSTRACT Crystallised mannitol carriers from different binary mixtures of acetone/water were prep... more ABSTRACT Crystallised mannitol carriers from different binary mixtures of acetone/water were prepared and investigated. The results showed that crystallised mannitol samples had lower ρbulk (0.11-0.26 g/cm3) and ρtap (0.17-0.40g/cm3), less flowability (CI: 25.67-38.00 %), higher span values (0.71-2.06), higher amounts of fines (0.00-29.17%), higher Sv (0.07-0.69 m2/cm3) compared to commercial mannitol (ρbulk =0.54 g/cm3, ρtap =0.63g/cm3, CI=14.17 %, span=0.77, fines=0.00%, Sv=0.06 m2/cm3). Lower carrier bulk density, tap density and higher carrier fines and surface area may be responsible for their enhanced inhalation performance. SEM showed that all engineered mannitol crystals were more elongated than the commercial mannitol.Carriers with higher elongation ratios were proved to produce better drug aerosolisation properties. Crystallised mannitol formulations produced lower content uniformity, but higher recovery, emission, and FPF indicating better performance for crsytallised samples All crystallised mannitol samples were in different physicochemical properties and improved deposition behaviour. Carriers with higher ρtrue, amounts of fines, Sv produced higher FPF.
International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 2003
Lactose was crystallised either from neutralised Carbopol 934 gel or from water-ethanol solution ... more Lactose was crystallised either from neutralised Carbopol 934 gel or from water-ethanol solution without stirring, with a view to obtaining lactose alpha-monohydrate of favourable shape and smooth surface, suitable for use as carriers in formulations for dry powder inhalers (DPIs). Crystallisation of salbutamol sulphate was carried out in the presence of water, lecithin and ethanol to form salbutamol crystals with defined shape and smooth surface. The crystals formed were needle-shaped, with a length of less than 6 microm and a width between 0.5 and 1 microm. DSC and TGA showed that lactose crystals produced from Carbopol gel or from water-ethanol solution existed as alpha-lactose monohydrate. The DSC thermograms of micronised and crystallised salbutamol sulphate showed two similar endothermic transitions at 200 and 290 degrees C, respectively. The first transition was initially thought to correspond to the melting of salbutamol sulphate. However, the shape of the particles as observed by optical microscopy was not altered after heating the sample to 250 degrees C, suggesting that no transition from solid to liquid state occurred at 200 degrees C. This was confirmed by observations made using hot stage microscopy. The two endothermic transitions are suggested to correspond to the decomposition of the salbutamol sulphate molecule. The elongation ratio of the commercial lactose crystals, lactose crystallised from Carbopol and from water-ethanol were 1.69+/-0.05, 2.01+/-0.13 and 6.25+/-0.17, respectively. As the elongation ratio increased the flow properties of the carrier were affected detrimentally and this consequently reduced the content uniformity of salbutamol sulphate and drug emission from the inhaler device. Whereas, increasing the elongation ratio of the carrier or drug improved the deposition profiles of salbutamol sulphate, suggesting that the more elongated particles would be more aerodynamic and favour deep lung penetration.
Pharmaceutical Research, 2011
Reports of the anomeric composition of amorphous lactose are rare and state a highly variable ran... more Reports of the anomeric composition of amorphous lactose are rare and state a highly variable range of composition (between 0% and 60% w/w β content). We aimed to develop a quantitative measurement by (1)H-NMR of α and β anomer content in amorphous lactose produced by different production methods. Amorphous lactose was prepared by spray and freeze drying 10% w/v aqueous solutions of lactose. NMR analysis was performed in DMSO; peak areas of partially resolved doublets at 6.3 and 6.6 ppm were used to calculate % of α and β lactose present. Polarimetery was used to determine optical rotation of lactose solutions. Observed specific rotation for supplied crystalline alpha lactose monohydrate of 88° recorded in DMSO was constant for the length of a typical NMR experiment (max. 10 min). β/α anomer contents of amorphous lactose measured by (1)H-NMR had standard deviations as low as 0.1% w/w (n = 6). Drying a lactose solution 4 h after its preparation led to almost 35% w/w difference in anomer composition within solid amorphous material compared to samples dried after only 30 min, e.g. for freeze dried samples, β content was 60 ± 0.1% w/w (4 h) and 25 ± 1.0% w/w (30 min). Mutarotation leads to this increase in β anomer concentration in aqueous solution and within the solid amorphous lactose stored at 25°C. e.g. after 56 d storage the β content of freeze dried lactose (30 min solution) increased from 25±1.0% to 50±0.5% w/w. A simple solution-based (1)H-NMR method for measurement of anomeric composition of lactose has been established. The solution β/α ratio at the time of drying is mirrored in the composition of the resulting solid amorphous material. In order to produce a consistent anomer composition within spray and freeze dried amorphous lactose, the standing time for the feed solution should be greater than 4 h, such that the most dynamic region of the mutarotation profile has been exceeded. If the amorphous material has been formed from a solution that has not been allowed to equilibrate for 4 h, the resulting solid will continue to undergo mutarotation if trace amounts of moisture are present, until the anomeric β/α ratio slowly approaches 1.7.
Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, 2000
Polyoxyethylene alkyl ether surfactants have been shown to have excellent penetration enhancing a... more Polyoxyethylene alkyl ether surfactants have been shown to have excellent penetration enhancing abilities although they are associated with a high level of local toxicity. We have compared the toxicity of a range of polyoxyethylene alkyl ethers (Brij 96, Brij 76, Brij 56, 10 lauryl ether and 9 lauryl ether) to an anionic surfactant (sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS)), an ampholytic surfactant (lysophosphatidylcholine) and a cationic surfactant (tetradecyltrimethylammonium bromide (TTAB)), in the presence and absence of egg phosphatidylcholine. The toxicity of the surfactants or phospholipid/surfactant mixtures was assessed by measuring haemolytic activity. The test samples were incubated with a suspension of red blood cells for 30 min and Drabkin's reagent was used to indicate the amount of haemoglobin released. All of the polyoxyethylene alkyl ethers, SDS, TTAB and lysophosphatidylcholine exhibited haemolytic activity at concentrations between 0.10 and 0.25 mM. The addition of egg ...
Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, 2003
The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the composition of formulations on the phy... more The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the composition of formulations on the physical properties, including glass-transition temperatures (Tg) and aerodynamic-related characteristics, of spray-dried lysozyme particles. The Tg, as determined by differential scanning calorimetry, of spray-dried lysozyme formulations was found to be dependent upon the type and amount of excipient(s) included in the formulation. In addition, the Tg of sucrose-containing particles appeared to be raised markedly by the inclusion of trehalose, but not by dextran. The surfaces of all spray-dried particles were shown by scanning electron microscopy to be smooth with some containing characteristic dimples, typical of spray-dried material, and the morphology appeared to be independent of variation in excipient composition. However, the volume median diameters (VMD) of spray-dried powders, as determined by laser diffraction, were found to depend upon the amounts of excipients. The fine particle...
European Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2003
Lactose particles with different elongation ratio, roundness, polymorphic form and crystallinity ... more Lactose particles with different elongation ratio, roundness, polymorphic form and crystallinity were prepared by a one-step crystallisation process using varying ratios of acetone/water. The crystals were characterised using image analysis optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray powder diffraction. The elongation ratio was found to increase with increasing acetone ratio which therefore, appears to accelerate the growth in length rather than width and/or thickness. The crystallinity and polymorphic forms were also acetone-concentration dependent. For example, the crystals formed using 65-80% v/v acetone were almost all of the alpha-form whereas at 85% v/v a small amount of beta-form was precipitated, as detected by a peak at the reflection angle 2 theta=10.4 in the X-ray diffractogram. When 90% v/v acetone was incorporated a mixture of alpha- and beta-forms were produced in almost equal quantity, whereas, with 95% v/v acetone the beta-form predominated. At high acetone concentration (90 and 95% v/v), the crystallisation proceeded rapidly leading to the creation of some amorphous content. The 63-90-microm sieve cut of either commercial grade lactose (CL) or crystallised lactose was mixed with salbutamol sulfate and dispersibility was determined using the twin stage liquid impinger. All the formulations containing carrier particles generated by crystallization from solvent showed higher dispersibility and fine particle fraction (FPF) of the drug compared to the formulation made containing CL. The carrier that showed the highest elongation ratio (produced from an 85% acetone 15% water solution), when mixed with salbutamol sulfate produced the highest dispersibility (38.5%) and highest FPF (29.24%). These parameters were six times higher than the values obtained with the formulation containing CL.
Drug Delivery, 2005
Hyaluronic acid (HA), is a polyanionic polysaccharide that consists of N-acetyl-D-glucosamine and... more Hyaluronic acid (HA), is a polyanionic polysaccharide that consists of N-acetyl-D-glucosamine and β-glucoronic acid. It is most frequently referred to as hyaluronan because it exists in vivo as a polyanion and not in the protonated acid form. HA is distributed widely in vertebrates and presents as a component of the cell coat of many strains of bacteria. Initially the main functions of HA were believed to be mechanical as it has a protective, structure stabilizing and shock-absorbing role in the body. However, more recently the role of HA in the mediation of physiological functions via interaction with binding proteins and cell surface receptors including morphogenesis, regeneration, wound healing, and tumor invasion, as well as in the dynamic regulation of such interactions on cell signaling and behavior has been documented. The unique viscoelastic nature of hyaluronan along with its biocompatibility and nonimmunogenicity has led to its use in a number of cosmetic, medical, and pharmaceutical applications. More recently, HA has been investigated as a drug delivery agent for ophthalmic, nasal, pulmonary, parenteral, and dermal routes. The purpose of our review is to describe the physical, chemical, and biological properties of native HA together with how it can be produced and assayed along with a detailed analysis of its medical and pharmaceutical applications.
Drug Delivery, 2006
The protective function of human skin imposes physicochemical limitations to the type of permeant... more The protective function of human skin imposes physicochemical limitations to the type of permeant that can traverse the barrier. For a drug to be delivered passively via the skin it needs to have adequate lipophilicity and also a molecular weight <500 Da. These requirements have limited the number of commercially available products based on transdermal or dermal delivery. Various strategies have emerged over recent years to optimize delivery and these can be categorized into passive and active methods. The passive approach entails the optimization of formulation or drug carrying vehicle to increase skin permeability. Passive methods, however do not greatly improve the permeation of drugs with molecular weights >500 Da. In contrast active methods that normally involve physical or mechanical methods of enhancing delivery have been shown to be generally superior. Improved delivery has been shown for drugs of differing lipophilicity and molecular weight including proteins, peptides, and oligonucletides using electrical methods (iontophoresis, electroporation), mechanical (abrasion, ablation, perforation), and other energy-related techniques such as ultrasound and needless injection. However, for these novel delivery methods to succeed and compete with those already on the market, the prime issues that require consideration include device design and safety, efficacy, ease of handling, and cost-effectiveness. This article provides a detailed review of the next generation of active delivery technologies.
Drug Delivery, 2006
The protective function of human skin imposes physicochemical limitations to the type of permeant... more The protective function of human skin imposes physicochemical limitations to the type of permeant that can traverse the barrier. For a drug to be delivered passively via the skin it needs to have adequate lipophilicity and also a molecular weight <500 Da. These requirements have limited the number of commercially available products based on transdermal or dermal delivery. Various strategies have emerged over recent years to optimize delivery and these can be categorized into passive and active methods. The passive approach entails the optimization of formulation or drug carrying vehicle to increase skin permeability. Passive methods, however do not greatly improve the permeation of drugs with molecular weights >500 Da. In contrast active methods that normally involve physical or mechanical methods of enhancing delivery have been shown to be generally superior. Improved delivery has been shown for drugs of differing lipophilicity and molecular weight including proteins, peptides, and oligonucletides using electrical methods (iontophoresis, electroporation), mechanical (abrasion, ablation, perforation), and other energy-related techniques such as ultrasound and needless injection. However, for these novel delivery methods to succeed and compete with those already on the market, the prime issues that require consideration include device design and safety, efficacy, ease of handling, and cost-effectiveness. This article provides a detailed review of the next generation of active delivery technologies.
Pharmaceutical …, 2002
Increasing interest in developing pulmonary delivery sys-tems for proteins and peptides has lead ... more Increasing interest in developing pulmonary delivery sys-tems for proteins and peptides has lead to the proposal that spray drying may provide one of the principal means of pro-ducing inhalable powders of such potentially labile biophar-maceuticals (14). However, any ...
Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces, 2012
The aim of this work was to investigate the mechanistic evaluation of physicochemical properties ... more The aim of this work was to investigate the mechanistic evaluation of physicochemical properties of new engineered lactose on aerosolisation performance of salbutamol sulphate (SS) delivered from dry powder inhaler (DPI). Different crystallised lactose particles were obtained from binary mixtures of butanol:acetone. The sieved fractions (63-90 m) of crystallised lactose were characterised in terms of size, shape, flowability, true density and aerosolisation performance (using multiple twin stage impinger (MSLI), Aerolizer ® inhaler device, and salbutamol sulphate as a model drug). Compared to commercial lactose, crystallised lactose particles were less elongated, covered with fine lactose particles, and had a rougher surface morphology. The crystallised lactose powders had a considerably lower bulk and tap density and poorer flow when compared to commercial lactose. Engineered carrier with better flow showed improved drug content homogeneity, reduced amounts of drug "deposited" on the inhaler device and throat, and a smaller drug aerodynamic diameter upon inhalation. Aerodynamic diameter of salbutamol sulphate increased as lactose aerodynamic diameter decreased (linear, R 2 = 0.9191) and/or as fine particle lactose content increased (linear, R 2 = 0.8653). Improved drug aerosolisation performance in the case of crystallised lactose particles was attributed to lower drug-carrier adhesion forces due to a rougher surface and higher fine particle content. In conclusion, this work proved that using binary combinations of solvents in crystallisation medium is vital in modification of the physicochemical and micromeritic properties of carriers to achieve a desirable aerosolisation performance from DPI formulations. Among all lactose samples, lactose particles crystallised from pure butanol generated the highest overall DPI formulations desirability.
International journal of pharmaceutics, Jan 28, 2004
Solution calorimetry has been used in a number of varying applications within pharmaceutical rese... more Solution calorimetry has been used in a number of varying applications within pharmaceutical research as a technique for the physical characterisation of pharmaceutical materials, such as quantifying small degrees of amorphous content, identifying polymorphs and investigating interactions between drugs and carbohydrates or proteins and carbohydrates. A calibration test procedure is necessary to validate the instrumentation; a few of the suggested calibration reactions are the enthalpies of solution associated with dissolving Tris in 0.1 M HCl or NaCl, KCl or propan-1-ol in water. In addition, there are a number of different methods available to determine enthalpies of solution from the experimental data provided by the calorimeter, for example, the Regnault-Pfaundler's method, a graphical extrapolation based on the Dickinson method, or a manual integration-based method. Thus, the aim of the study was to investigate how each of these methods influences the values for the enthalpy...
Introduction Solution calorimetry measures the heat of solution of a solid dissolving into a solv... more Introduction Solution calorimetry measures the heat of solution of a solid dissolving into a solvent. Hogan & Buckton (2000) have shown there is a measurable difference in the enthalpies of solution between the amorphous and crystalline form of a material. Typically, the ...
Nitric oxide : biology and chemistry / official journal of the Nitric Oxide Society, Sep 24, 2016
S-nitrosophytochelatins (SNOPCs) are novel analogues of S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO) with the adva... more S-nitrosophytochelatins (SNOPCs) are novel analogues of S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO) with the advantage of carrying varying ratios of S-nitrosothiol (SNO) moieties per molecule. Our aim was to investigate the in vivo pharmacological potency and biodistribution of these new GSNO analogues after intravenous (i.v.) and intranasal (i.n.) administration in mice. SNOPCs with either two or six SNO groups and GSNO were synthesized and characterized for purity. Compounds were administered i.v. or i.n. at 1 μmol NO/kg body weight to CD-1 mice. Blood pressure was measured and biodistribution studies of total nitrate and nitrite species (NOx) and phytochelatins were performed after i.v. administration. At equivalent doses of NO, it was observed that SNOPC-6 generated a rapid and significantly greater reduction in blood pressure (∼60% reduction compared to saline) whereas GSNO and SNOPC-2 only achieved a 30-35% decrease. The reduction in blood pressure was transient and recovered to baseline leve...
Drug Development and Industrial Pharmacy, 2008
During the copy-editing of your paper, the following queries arose. Please respond to these by ma... more During the copy-editing of your paper, the following queries arose. Please respond to these by marking up your proofs with the necessary changes/additions. Please write your answers on the query sheet if there is insufficient space on the page proofs. If returning the proof by fax do not write too close to the paper's edge. Please remember that illegible markups may delay publication. Many thanks for your assistance. Ref. no: Query Remarks 1 Au: Please check if the suggested running head is OK.
Pharmaceutics, 2020
There has been considerable recent interest in employing computer models to investigate the relat... more There has been considerable recent interest in employing computer models to investigate the relationship between the structure of a molecule and its dermal penetration. Molecular permeation across the epidermis has previously been demonstrated to be determined by a number of physicochemical properties, for example, the lipophilicity, molecular weight and hydrogen bonding ability of the permeant. However little attention has been paid to modeling the combined effects of permeant properties in tandem with the properties of vehicles used to deliver those permeants or to whether data obtained using synthetic membranes can be correlated with those obtained using human epidermis. This work uses Principal Components Analysis (PCA) to demonstrate that, for studies of the diffusion of three model permeants (caffeine, methyl paraben and butyl paraben) through synthetic membranes, it is the properties of the oily vehicle in which they are applied that dominated the rates of permeation and flux...
International journal of pharmaceutics, Jan 21, 2016
The diffusion process through a non-porous barrier membrane depends on the properties of the drug... more The diffusion process through a non-porous barrier membrane depends on the properties of the drug, vehicle and membrane. The aim of the current study was to investigate whether a series of oily vehicles might have the potential to interact to varying degrees with synthetic membranes and to determine whether any such interaction might affect the permeation of co-formulated permeants: methylparaben (MP); butylparaben (BP) or caffeine (CF). The oils (isopropyl myristate (IPM), isohexadecane (IHD), hexadecane (HD), oleic acid (OA) and liquid paraffin (LP)) and membranes (silicone, high density polyethylene and polyurethane) employed in the study were selected such that they displayed a range of different structural, physicochemical properties. Diffusion studies showed that many of the vehicles were not inert and did interact with the membranes resulting in a modification of the permeants' flux when corrected for membrane thickness (e.g. normalized flux of MP increased from 1.25±0.13...
Membranes, 2021
In many instances, one or more components of a pharmaceutical or cosmetic formulation is an oil. ... more In many instances, one or more components of a pharmaceutical or cosmetic formulation is an oil. The aims of this study were two-fold. First, to examine the potential of preferential uptake of one oily vehicle component over another into a model barrier membrane (silicone) from blended vehicles (comprising two from the common excipients isohexadecane (IHD), hexadecane (HD), isopropyl myristate (IPM), oleic acid (OA) and liquid paraffin). Second, to study the effect of membrane-vehicle interactions on the diffusion of model permeants (caffeine (CF), methyl paraben (MP) and butyl paraben (BP)) from blended vehicles. Selective sorption and partition of some oils (especially IHD and IPM) at the expense of other oils (such as OA) was demonstrated to take place. For example, the membrane composition of IHD was enriched compared to a donor solution of IHD-OA: 41%, 63% and 82% IHD, compared to donor solution composition of 25%, 50% and 75% IHD, respectively. Pre-soaking the membrane in IHD,...
Thermochimica Acta, 2004
A thermal analysis of the effect of hydration of non-aqueous polymer-stabilised gels was investig... more A thermal analysis of the effect of hydration of non-aqueous polymer-stabilised gels was investigated using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The interaction of water with the polymer and its distribution within the gel are critical to the physicochemical behaviour of the gel, and consequently affects the utility of the gel matrix as a drug delivery vehicle. Addition of water at levels up to and including 50% (w/w) did not result in an observable freezing event in the thermogram. However, at 60 and 80% (w/w) water, phase transitions were observed, the magnitude of which were found to be independent of the annealing time within the range used. The observed melting enthalpies increased as the water concentration increased for all formulations, but were always smaller than that of pure water. There was no evidence of multiple transitions that might be attributed to different populations of water molecules. However, the results demonstrate that DSC can be employed to differentiate between freezable and non-freezable water, in these particular formulations.
Purpose. To investigate the influence of type and amount of excipient on the preservation of the ... more Purpose. To investigate the influence of type and amount of excipient on the preservation of the native structure and the biologic activity of freeze-dried lysozyme and catalase. Methods. The secondary structure of protein in the dried form and in aqueous solution was obtained using second derivative infrared spectroscopy and circular dichroism spectra respectively whilst the activity was determined using bioassay. Results. Small molecular excipients (glycerol, sorbitol, 1,6anhydroglucose, sucrose, and trehalose) were found to stabilize the activity and/or the native structure of freeze-dried lysozyme and catalase, despite the processing temperatures being above TgЈ of excipient-protein mixtures. The preservation of catalase activity required excipient to be present at a lower excipient to enzyme mass ratio than that necessary to preserve native structure in the dried form. Combining dextran with sucrose synergistically protected the native structure of catalase but preserved the activity in an additive manner. Conclusion. The results indicate that the stabilization of catalase and lysozyme by excipients during dehydration was mainly due to water substitution rather than the formation of glass; the latter appearing not to be a prerequisite during freeze-drying.
ABSTRACT Crystallised mannitol carriers from different binary mixtures of acetone/water were prep... more ABSTRACT Crystallised mannitol carriers from different binary mixtures of acetone/water were prepared and investigated. The results showed that crystallised mannitol samples had lower ρbulk (0.11-0.26 g/cm3) and ρtap (0.17-0.40g/cm3), less flowability (CI: 25.67-38.00 %), higher span values (0.71-2.06), higher amounts of fines (0.00-29.17%), higher Sv (0.07-0.69 m2/cm3) compared to commercial mannitol (ρbulk =0.54 g/cm3, ρtap =0.63g/cm3, CI=14.17 %, span=0.77, fines=0.00%, Sv=0.06 m2/cm3). Lower carrier bulk density, tap density and higher carrier fines and surface area may be responsible for their enhanced inhalation performance. SEM showed that all engineered mannitol crystals were more elongated than the commercial mannitol.Carriers with higher elongation ratios were proved to produce better drug aerosolisation properties. Crystallised mannitol formulations produced lower content uniformity, but higher recovery, emission, and FPF indicating better performance for crsytallised samples All crystallised mannitol samples were in different physicochemical properties and improved deposition behaviour. Carriers with higher ρtrue, amounts of fines, Sv produced higher FPF.
International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 2003
Lactose was crystallised either from neutralised Carbopol 934 gel or from water-ethanol solution ... more Lactose was crystallised either from neutralised Carbopol 934 gel or from water-ethanol solution without stirring, with a view to obtaining lactose alpha-monohydrate of favourable shape and smooth surface, suitable for use as carriers in formulations for dry powder inhalers (DPIs). Crystallisation of salbutamol sulphate was carried out in the presence of water, lecithin and ethanol to form salbutamol crystals with defined shape and smooth surface. The crystals formed were needle-shaped, with a length of less than 6 microm and a width between 0.5 and 1 microm. DSC and TGA showed that lactose crystals produced from Carbopol gel or from water-ethanol solution existed as alpha-lactose monohydrate. The DSC thermograms of micronised and crystallised salbutamol sulphate showed two similar endothermic transitions at 200 and 290 degrees C, respectively. The first transition was initially thought to correspond to the melting of salbutamol sulphate. However, the shape of the particles as observed by optical microscopy was not altered after heating the sample to 250 degrees C, suggesting that no transition from solid to liquid state occurred at 200 degrees C. This was confirmed by observations made using hot stage microscopy. The two endothermic transitions are suggested to correspond to the decomposition of the salbutamol sulphate molecule. The elongation ratio of the commercial lactose crystals, lactose crystallised from Carbopol and from water-ethanol were 1.69+/-0.05, 2.01+/-0.13 and 6.25+/-0.17, respectively. As the elongation ratio increased the flow properties of the carrier were affected detrimentally and this consequently reduced the content uniformity of salbutamol sulphate and drug emission from the inhaler device. Whereas, increasing the elongation ratio of the carrier or drug improved the deposition profiles of salbutamol sulphate, suggesting that the more elongated particles would be more aerodynamic and favour deep lung penetration.
Pharmaceutical Research, 2011
Reports of the anomeric composition of amorphous lactose are rare and state a highly variable ran... more Reports of the anomeric composition of amorphous lactose are rare and state a highly variable range of composition (between 0% and 60% w/w β content). We aimed to develop a quantitative measurement by (1)H-NMR of α and β anomer content in amorphous lactose produced by different production methods. Amorphous lactose was prepared by spray and freeze drying 10% w/v aqueous solutions of lactose. NMR analysis was performed in DMSO; peak areas of partially resolved doublets at 6.3 and 6.6 ppm were used to calculate % of α and β lactose present. Polarimetery was used to determine optical rotation of lactose solutions. Observed specific rotation for supplied crystalline alpha lactose monohydrate of 88° recorded in DMSO was constant for the length of a typical NMR experiment (max. 10 min). β/α anomer contents of amorphous lactose measured by (1)H-NMR had standard deviations as low as 0.1% w/w (n = 6). Drying a lactose solution 4 h after its preparation led to almost 35% w/w difference in anomer composition within solid amorphous material compared to samples dried after only 30 min, e.g. for freeze dried samples, β content was 60 ± 0.1% w/w (4 h) and 25 ± 1.0% w/w (30 min). Mutarotation leads to this increase in β anomer concentration in aqueous solution and within the solid amorphous lactose stored at 25°C. e.g. after 56 d storage the β content of freeze dried lactose (30 min solution) increased from 25±1.0% to 50±0.5% w/w. A simple solution-based (1)H-NMR method for measurement of anomeric composition of lactose has been established. The solution β/α ratio at the time of drying is mirrored in the composition of the resulting solid amorphous material. In order to produce a consistent anomer composition within spray and freeze dried amorphous lactose, the standing time for the feed solution should be greater than 4 h, such that the most dynamic region of the mutarotation profile has been exceeded. If the amorphous material has been formed from a solution that has not been allowed to equilibrate for 4 h, the resulting solid will continue to undergo mutarotation if trace amounts of moisture are present, until the anomeric β/α ratio slowly approaches 1.7.
Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, 2000
Polyoxyethylene alkyl ether surfactants have been shown to have excellent penetration enhancing a... more Polyoxyethylene alkyl ether surfactants have been shown to have excellent penetration enhancing abilities although they are associated with a high level of local toxicity. We have compared the toxicity of a range of polyoxyethylene alkyl ethers (Brij 96, Brij 76, Brij 56, 10 lauryl ether and 9 lauryl ether) to an anionic surfactant (sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS)), an ampholytic surfactant (lysophosphatidylcholine) and a cationic surfactant (tetradecyltrimethylammonium bromide (TTAB)), in the presence and absence of egg phosphatidylcholine. The toxicity of the surfactants or phospholipid/surfactant mixtures was assessed by measuring haemolytic activity. The test samples were incubated with a suspension of red blood cells for 30 min and Drabkin's reagent was used to indicate the amount of haemoglobin released. All of the polyoxyethylene alkyl ethers, SDS, TTAB and lysophosphatidylcholine exhibited haemolytic activity at concentrations between 0.10 and 0.25 mM. The addition of egg ...
Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, 2003
The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the composition of formulations on the phy... more The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the composition of formulations on the physical properties, including glass-transition temperatures (Tg) and aerodynamic-related characteristics, of spray-dried lysozyme particles. The Tg, as determined by differential scanning calorimetry, of spray-dried lysozyme formulations was found to be dependent upon the type and amount of excipient(s) included in the formulation. In addition, the Tg of sucrose-containing particles appeared to be raised markedly by the inclusion of trehalose, but not by dextran. The surfaces of all spray-dried particles were shown by scanning electron microscopy to be smooth with some containing characteristic dimples, typical of spray-dried material, and the morphology appeared to be independent of variation in excipient composition. However, the volume median diameters (VMD) of spray-dried powders, as determined by laser diffraction, were found to depend upon the amounts of excipients. The fine particle...
European Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2003
Lactose particles with different elongation ratio, roundness, polymorphic form and crystallinity ... more Lactose particles with different elongation ratio, roundness, polymorphic form and crystallinity were prepared by a one-step crystallisation process using varying ratios of acetone/water. The crystals were characterised using image analysis optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray powder diffraction. The elongation ratio was found to increase with increasing acetone ratio which therefore, appears to accelerate the growth in length rather than width and/or thickness. The crystallinity and polymorphic forms were also acetone-concentration dependent. For example, the crystals formed using 65-80% v/v acetone were almost all of the alpha-form whereas at 85% v/v a small amount of beta-form was precipitated, as detected by a peak at the reflection angle 2 theta=10.4 in the X-ray diffractogram. When 90% v/v acetone was incorporated a mixture of alpha- and beta-forms were produced in almost equal quantity, whereas, with 95% v/v acetone the beta-form predominated. At high acetone concentration (90 and 95% v/v), the crystallisation proceeded rapidly leading to the creation of some amorphous content. The 63-90-microm sieve cut of either commercial grade lactose (CL) or crystallised lactose was mixed with salbutamol sulfate and dispersibility was determined using the twin stage liquid impinger. All the formulations containing carrier particles generated by crystallization from solvent showed higher dispersibility and fine particle fraction (FPF) of the drug compared to the formulation made containing CL. The carrier that showed the highest elongation ratio (produced from an 85% acetone 15% water solution), when mixed with salbutamol sulfate produced the highest dispersibility (38.5%) and highest FPF (29.24%). These parameters were six times higher than the values obtained with the formulation containing CL.
Drug Delivery, 2005
Hyaluronic acid (HA), is a polyanionic polysaccharide that consists of N-acetyl-D-glucosamine and... more Hyaluronic acid (HA), is a polyanionic polysaccharide that consists of N-acetyl-D-glucosamine and β-glucoronic acid. It is most frequently referred to as hyaluronan because it exists in vivo as a polyanion and not in the protonated acid form. HA is distributed widely in vertebrates and presents as a component of the cell coat of many strains of bacteria. Initially the main functions of HA were believed to be mechanical as it has a protective, structure stabilizing and shock-absorbing role in the body. However, more recently the role of HA in the mediation of physiological functions via interaction with binding proteins and cell surface receptors including morphogenesis, regeneration, wound healing, and tumor invasion, as well as in the dynamic regulation of such interactions on cell signaling and behavior has been documented. The unique viscoelastic nature of hyaluronan along with its biocompatibility and nonimmunogenicity has led to its use in a number of cosmetic, medical, and pharmaceutical applications. More recently, HA has been investigated as a drug delivery agent for ophthalmic, nasal, pulmonary, parenteral, and dermal routes. The purpose of our review is to describe the physical, chemical, and biological properties of native HA together with how it can be produced and assayed along with a detailed analysis of its medical and pharmaceutical applications.
Drug Delivery, 2006
The protective function of human skin imposes physicochemical limitations to the type of permeant... more The protective function of human skin imposes physicochemical limitations to the type of permeant that can traverse the barrier. For a drug to be delivered passively via the skin it needs to have adequate lipophilicity and also a molecular weight <500 Da. These requirements have limited the number of commercially available products based on transdermal or dermal delivery. Various strategies have emerged over recent years to optimize delivery and these can be categorized into passive and active methods. The passive approach entails the optimization of formulation or drug carrying vehicle to increase skin permeability. Passive methods, however do not greatly improve the permeation of drugs with molecular weights >500 Da. In contrast active methods that normally involve physical or mechanical methods of enhancing delivery have been shown to be generally superior. Improved delivery has been shown for drugs of differing lipophilicity and molecular weight including proteins, peptides, and oligonucletides using electrical methods (iontophoresis, electroporation), mechanical (abrasion, ablation, perforation), and other energy-related techniques such as ultrasound and needless injection. However, for these novel delivery methods to succeed and compete with those already on the market, the prime issues that require consideration include device design and safety, efficacy, ease of handling, and cost-effectiveness. This article provides a detailed review of the next generation of active delivery technologies.
Drug Delivery, 2006
The protective function of human skin imposes physicochemical limitations to the type of permeant... more The protective function of human skin imposes physicochemical limitations to the type of permeant that can traverse the barrier. For a drug to be delivered passively via the skin it needs to have adequate lipophilicity and also a molecular weight <500 Da. These requirements have limited the number of commercially available products based on transdermal or dermal delivery. Various strategies have emerged over recent years to optimize delivery and these can be categorized into passive and active methods. The passive approach entails the optimization of formulation or drug carrying vehicle to increase skin permeability. Passive methods, however do not greatly improve the permeation of drugs with molecular weights >500 Da. In contrast active methods that normally involve physical or mechanical methods of enhancing delivery have been shown to be generally superior. Improved delivery has been shown for drugs of differing lipophilicity and molecular weight including proteins, peptides, and oligonucletides using electrical methods (iontophoresis, electroporation), mechanical (abrasion, ablation, perforation), and other energy-related techniques such as ultrasound and needless injection. However, for these novel delivery methods to succeed and compete with those already on the market, the prime issues that require consideration include device design and safety, efficacy, ease of handling, and cost-effectiveness. This article provides a detailed review of the next generation of active delivery technologies.
Pharmaceutical …, 2002
Increasing interest in developing pulmonary delivery sys-tems for proteins and peptides has lead ... more Increasing interest in developing pulmonary delivery sys-tems for proteins and peptides has lead to the proposal that spray drying may provide one of the principal means of pro-ducing inhalable powders of such potentially labile biophar-maceuticals (14). However, any ...
Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces, 2012
The aim of this work was to investigate the mechanistic evaluation of physicochemical properties ... more The aim of this work was to investigate the mechanistic evaluation of physicochemical properties of new engineered lactose on aerosolisation performance of salbutamol sulphate (SS) delivered from dry powder inhaler (DPI). Different crystallised lactose particles were obtained from binary mixtures of butanol:acetone. The sieved fractions (63-90 m) of crystallised lactose were characterised in terms of size, shape, flowability, true density and aerosolisation performance (using multiple twin stage impinger (MSLI), Aerolizer ® inhaler device, and salbutamol sulphate as a model drug). Compared to commercial lactose, crystallised lactose particles were less elongated, covered with fine lactose particles, and had a rougher surface morphology. The crystallised lactose powders had a considerably lower bulk and tap density and poorer flow when compared to commercial lactose. Engineered carrier with better flow showed improved drug content homogeneity, reduced amounts of drug "deposited" on the inhaler device and throat, and a smaller drug aerodynamic diameter upon inhalation. Aerodynamic diameter of salbutamol sulphate increased as lactose aerodynamic diameter decreased (linear, R 2 = 0.9191) and/or as fine particle lactose content increased (linear, R 2 = 0.8653). Improved drug aerosolisation performance in the case of crystallised lactose particles was attributed to lower drug-carrier adhesion forces due to a rougher surface and higher fine particle content. In conclusion, this work proved that using binary combinations of solvents in crystallisation medium is vital in modification of the physicochemical and micromeritic properties of carriers to achieve a desirable aerosolisation performance from DPI formulations. Among all lactose samples, lactose particles crystallised from pure butanol generated the highest overall DPI formulations desirability.
International journal of pharmaceutics, Jan 28, 2004
Solution calorimetry has been used in a number of varying applications within pharmaceutical rese... more Solution calorimetry has been used in a number of varying applications within pharmaceutical research as a technique for the physical characterisation of pharmaceutical materials, such as quantifying small degrees of amorphous content, identifying polymorphs and investigating interactions between drugs and carbohydrates or proteins and carbohydrates. A calibration test procedure is necessary to validate the instrumentation; a few of the suggested calibration reactions are the enthalpies of solution associated with dissolving Tris in 0.1 M HCl or NaCl, KCl or propan-1-ol in water. In addition, there are a number of different methods available to determine enthalpies of solution from the experimental data provided by the calorimeter, for example, the Regnault-Pfaundler's method, a graphical extrapolation based on the Dickinson method, or a manual integration-based method. Thus, the aim of the study was to investigate how each of these methods influences the values for the enthalpy...
Introduction Solution calorimetry measures the heat of solution of a solid dissolving into a solv... more Introduction Solution calorimetry measures the heat of solution of a solid dissolving into a solvent. Hogan & Buckton (2000) have shown there is a measurable difference in the enthalpies of solution between the amorphous and crystalline form of a material. Typically, the ...