Zermina Rashid - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Zermina Rashid

Pharmaceutical Formulation Design - Recent Practices, Feb 5, 2020

The development of a new drug entity is a time-consuming and an expensive process; therefore, the... more The development of a new drug entity is a time-consuming and an expensive process; therefore, the design of new drug delivery systems for an existing drug molecule can significantly improve the safety and efficacy of the drug with improved patient compliance. In recent years, polymeric carriers have been widely investigated and are playing an important role in controlled drug delivery, biomedical applications, and tissue engineering. Microgels are microscopic hydrogels and have attracted much attention as vehicle for drug delivery. Stimuli-responsive MGs are smart drug delivery carriers and have the capability to incorporate and release their host molecules in response to stimuli (pH, ionic strength, and temperature), for targeted drug delivery. Of the many stimuli, alteration in pH is markedly fascinating because of the availability of pH gradients admissible for drug targeting. For example, pH gradients between normal tissues and some pathological sites between the extracellular environment and some cellular compartments, and along the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, are well characterized. Microgels can be fabricated through different methods.

Materials Research Express, 2020

This work investigates Ethyl cellulose (EC) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) microparticles for prol... more This work investigates Ethyl cellulose (EC) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) microparticles for prolonged delivery of Metformin HCl.The microparticles were synthesised by emulsion solvent evaporation technique; characterized for encapsulation efficiency, particle size, flow properties, surface morphology, FTIR, PXRD and drug release pattern; and investigated for the effect of formulation parameters like EC:PEG ratio, drug to polymers ratio and stirring speed on various properties of the microparticles. The drug entrapment efficiency, percent yield, particle size and drug release behaviour were found to be influenced by various formulation parameters.SEM images and size analysis confirmed formation of spherical shaped microparticles, with slightly rough surface and good flowability. FTIR revealed absence of any drug-polymer interaction and PXRD confirmed the molecular dispersion of drug with in microparticles. All the formulations showed sustained drug release pattern at pH 6.8, up to 9...

Current Pharmaceutical Analysis, 2018

Polymer-Plastics Technology and Materials, 2019

The study aimed to develop chemically crosslinked poly(2-methoxyethyl methacrylate-coacrylic acid... more The study aimed to develop chemically crosslinked poly(2-methoxyethyl methacrylate-coacrylic acid) (p(MEMA-co-AA)) microhydrogels as carriers for pH-responsive oral targeted delivery of therapeutics. p(MEMA-co-AA) microgels were successfully synthesized by simple free radical suspension polymerization technique confirmed through Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetic analysis, powdered x-ray diffractrometry, and scanning electron microscopy. Chemically crosslinked spherical microhydrogels with an average size in the range of 4.1 µm ± 2.21 to 9.7 µm ± 3.21 exhibited pH-dependent controlled release of the model drug. Maximum swelling, drug loading, and release were observed at pH 7.4. The optimal formulation achieved good delayed and sustained release features with decreased C max , prolonged T max , and mean residence time in comparison to oral drug solution.

Acta poloniae pharmaceutica, 2017

Solubility is concerned with solute and solvent to form a homogenous mixture. If solubility of a ... more Solubility is concerned with solute and solvent to form a homogenous mixture. If solubility of a drug is low, then usually it is difficult to achieve desired therapeutic level of drug. Most of the newly developed entities have solubility problems and encounter difficulty in dissolution. Basic aim of solubility enhancement is to achieve desired therapeutic'level of drug to produce required pharmacological response. Different techniques are being used to enhance the solubility of water insoluble drugs. These techniques include particle size reduction, spray drying, kneading method, solvent evaporation method, salt formation, microemulsions, co-solven- cy, hydrosols, prodrug approach, supercritical fluid process, hydrogel micro particles etc. Selection of solubility improving method depends on drug properties, site of absorption, and required dosage form characteristics. Variety of polymers are also used to enhance solubility of these drugs like polyethylene glycol 300, polyvinyl p...

Acta poloniae pharmaceutica

Chondroitin sulfate and sodium alginate were incorporated in different ratios to prepare glutaral... more Chondroitin sulfate and sodium alginate were incorporated in different ratios to prepare glutaraldehyde (GA) crosslinked microspheres by water-in-oil emulsion crosslinking method for delivery of 5-flurouracil (5-FU) to colon. Chemical interaction, surface morphology, thermal degradability, crystallinity evaluation, elemental analysis and drug release results were computed by using FTIR, SEM, DSC and TGA, PXRD, EXD and dissolution studies at pH 1.2, pH 6.8 and pH 7.4, respectively. Results revealed an acetal ring formation, non-porous surfaces, stability up to 450 degrees C with mass loss of 84.31%, variation in carbon and oxygen contents and targeted release at pH 7.4. Different kinetic models were applied on release studies i.e., zero order, first order, Higuchi and Korsmeyer-Peppas. Higuchi model was declared as best fit model based on r2 value (0.99) and mechanism of release was non-Fickian diffusion. A potential approach for colonic delivery of 5-FU was successfully developed.

Advances in Polymer Technology, 2016

In this study, a series of novel pH-sensitive copolymeric butyl acrylate-co-itaconic acid (p(BA-c... more In this study, a series of novel pH-sensitive copolymeric butyl acrylate-co-itaconic acid (p(BA-co-IA)) hydrogel microspheres were prepared by modified suspension polymerization of butyl acrylate and itaconic acid with the addition of 5% ethylene glycol dimethacrylate as a cross-linker and 1% benzoyl peroxide as an initiator. Nifedipine, an antihypertensive drug, was successfully encapsulated into these hydrogel microspheres by the equilibrium swelling method. Prepared hydrogel micropsheres were evaluated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffractometry (XRD), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The chemical stability of the nifedipine after being encapsulated into prepared hydrogel microspheres was confirmed by FTIR, DSC, and XRD analysis. TGA indicates that prepared samples showed much better thermal stability than pure drug nifedipine. SEM images showed that prepared p(BA-co-IA) hydrogel microspheres are spherical in shape. The size distribution of prepared samples was found between 4.145 to 10 μm using a Malvern nanosize ZS instrument. The maximum percentage entrapment efficiency of nifedipine was found 67%, and % yield was about 72%. The maximum in vitro release studies of drug-loaded microspheres, which is 94.4% for the pH 7.4 buffer solution, demonstrated the pH sensitivity of prepared hydrogel microspheres. The cumulative drug release data were analyzed by using the Korsmeyer-Peppas equation to calculate a value of diffusion exponent (n), which follows non-Fickian diffusion.

Advances in Polymer Technology, 2018

Novel copolymeric microgels of 2-methoxyethyl methacrylate and itaconic acid have been proposed f... more Novel copolymeric microgels of 2-methoxyethyl methacrylate and itaconic acid have been proposed for pH-responsive oral delivery of therapeutics. In vitro evaluation confirmed the potential of p(MEMA-co-IA) microgels to protect the drug from harsh environment of stomach and to deliver drug in response to pH of the external environment over extended period of time. In the present study, p(MEMA-co-IA) How to cite this article: Rashid Z, Ranjha NM, Rashid F, Razzaq R. Pharmacokinetic evaluation of novel pH-sensitive poly(2-methoxyethyl methacrylateco-itaconic acid) microgels in rabbits.

Acta poloniae pharmaceutica

Hospital- and community-acquired Staphylococcus aureus infections pose a substantial burden in te... more Hospital- and community-acquired Staphylococcus aureus infections pose a substantial burden in terms of morbidity, mortality and healthcare costs. The extent of nosocomial S. aureus transmission, in particular methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), the prevalence of S. aureus colonization in healthy personnel working in hospital was determined. Factors associated with S. aureus nasal carriage and antibiotic sensitivity pattern of the isolates were also analyzed. A total of 129 nasal swabs and epidemiological information concerning risk factors for nasal carriage were obtained from physicians, nurses, sanitary workers and administrative staff. Antibiotic susceptibility testing was performed using disk diffusion method. The prevalence of S. aureus and MRSA nasal carriage was significantly (p < 0.05) higher in physicians (51.8%, 18.5%), nurses (66.6%, 27.3%) and sanitary workers (59%, 13.6%) as compared to administrative staff (27.6%, 2.1%). There was no association between smoking...

In this study, a series of pH sensitive microgels (MGs) were prepared by modified free radical su... more In this study, a series of pH sensitive microgels (MGs) were prepared by modified free radical suspension polymerization of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) and itaconic acid (IA), using ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) as crosslinker. Equilibrium swelling technique was employed for esomeprazole magnesium trihydrate (EMT) loading. Prepared microgels were characterized through Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), dynamic light scattering technique (DLS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), equilibrium swelling and in vitro drug release kinetics. FTIR and TGA confirmed the formation of copolymeric p(HEMA-co-IA) network. SEM and DLS revealed smooth, round and uniformly distributed microspheres with particle size up to 10 μm. Developed microgels found to be pH responsive in nature. All the formulations (HIDI - HID5) followed Higuchi model with non-Fickian diffusion mechanism of drug release. It was concluded that p(HEMA-co-IA) microg...

In hospitals, the most important reservoirs of staphylococci are either infected or colonized pat... more In hospitals, the most important reservoirs of staphylococci are either infected or colonized patients, while hospital personnel can also serve as reservoirs, they may harbor the organism for longer periods and serves as a link for transmission. The effect of clinical exposure on prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility is determined by comparing data collected from medical personnel (MP), sanitary workers (SW) and non-medical personnel (NMP). Nasal swabs were randomly taken from medical, non medical and sanitary workers, cultured on 5 % sheep blood agar. The isolates were analyzed by using standard microbiological methods. The sensitivity of isolates was carried out by Kirby Bauer disk diffusion technique. The study revealed high rate of S. aureus colonization, while low rate of coagulase negative staphylococci colonization in medical personnel (60 %, 32 %) and sanitary workers (59 %, 36 %) as compared to non-medical personnel (28 %, 68 %) (control group), suggesting that exposure to hospital isolates may alter the colonization profile. The S. aureus strains isolated from medical staff compared with NMP isolates were significantly more resistant to amikacin (p = 0.047), while there was non-significant (p > 0.05) difference in susceptibility profile against oxacillin, ciprofloxacin, fusidic acid, penicillin and doxycycline. Our study revealed that the clinical exposure might have an effect on nasal carriage and anti-microbial susceptibility of S. aureus.

Pharmaceutical Formulation Design - Recent Practices, Feb 5, 2020

The development of a new drug entity is a time-consuming and an expensive process; therefore, the... more The development of a new drug entity is a time-consuming and an expensive process; therefore, the design of new drug delivery systems for an existing drug molecule can significantly improve the safety and efficacy of the drug with improved patient compliance. In recent years, polymeric carriers have been widely investigated and are playing an important role in controlled drug delivery, biomedical applications, and tissue engineering. Microgels are microscopic hydrogels and have attracted much attention as vehicle for drug delivery. Stimuli-responsive MGs are smart drug delivery carriers and have the capability to incorporate and release their host molecules in response to stimuli (pH, ionic strength, and temperature), for targeted drug delivery. Of the many stimuli, alteration in pH is markedly fascinating because of the availability of pH gradients admissible for drug targeting. For example, pH gradients between normal tissues and some pathological sites between the extracellular environment and some cellular compartments, and along the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, are well characterized. Microgels can be fabricated through different methods.

Materials Research Express, 2020

This work investigates Ethyl cellulose (EC) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) microparticles for prol... more This work investigates Ethyl cellulose (EC) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) microparticles for prolonged delivery of Metformin HCl.The microparticles were synthesised by emulsion solvent evaporation technique; characterized for encapsulation efficiency, particle size, flow properties, surface morphology, FTIR, PXRD and drug release pattern; and investigated for the effect of formulation parameters like EC:PEG ratio, drug to polymers ratio and stirring speed on various properties of the microparticles. The drug entrapment efficiency, percent yield, particle size and drug release behaviour were found to be influenced by various formulation parameters.SEM images and size analysis confirmed formation of spherical shaped microparticles, with slightly rough surface and good flowability. FTIR revealed absence of any drug-polymer interaction and PXRD confirmed the molecular dispersion of drug with in microparticles. All the formulations showed sustained drug release pattern at pH 6.8, up to 9...

Current Pharmaceutical Analysis, 2018

Polymer-Plastics Technology and Materials, 2019

The study aimed to develop chemically crosslinked poly(2-methoxyethyl methacrylate-coacrylic acid... more The study aimed to develop chemically crosslinked poly(2-methoxyethyl methacrylate-coacrylic acid) (p(MEMA-co-AA)) microhydrogels as carriers for pH-responsive oral targeted delivery of therapeutics. p(MEMA-co-AA) microgels were successfully synthesized by simple free radical suspension polymerization technique confirmed through Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetic analysis, powdered x-ray diffractrometry, and scanning electron microscopy. Chemically crosslinked spherical microhydrogels with an average size in the range of 4.1 µm ± 2.21 to 9.7 µm ± 3.21 exhibited pH-dependent controlled release of the model drug. Maximum swelling, drug loading, and release were observed at pH 7.4. The optimal formulation achieved good delayed and sustained release features with decreased C max , prolonged T max , and mean residence time in comparison to oral drug solution.

Acta poloniae pharmaceutica, 2017

Solubility is concerned with solute and solvent to form a homogenous mixture. If solubility of a ... more Solubility is concerned with solute and solvent to form a homogenous mixture. If solubility of a drug is low, then usually it is difficult to achieve desired therapeutic level of drug. Most of the newly developed entities have solubility problems and encounter difficulty in dissolution. Basic aim of solubility enhancement is to achieve desired therapeutic'level of drug to produce required pharmacological response. Different techniques are being used to enhance the solubility of water insoluble drugs. These techniques include particle size reduction, spray drying, kneading method, solvent evaporation method, salt formation, microemulsions, co-solven- cy, hydrosols, prodrug approach, supercritical fluid process, hydrogel micro particles etc. Selection of solubility improving method depends on drug properties, site of absorption, and required dosage form characteristics. Variety of polymers are also used to enhance solubility of these drugs like polyethylene glycol 300, polyvinyl p...

Acta poloniae pharmaceutica

Chondroitin sulfate and sodium alginate were incorporated in different ratios to prepare glutaral... more Chondroitin sulfate and sodium alginate were incorporated in different ratios to prepare glutaraldehyde (GA) crosslinked microspheres by water-in-oil emulsion crosslinking method for delivery of 5-flurouracil (5-FU) to colon. Chemical interaction, surface morphology, thermal degradability, crystallinity evaluation, elemental analysis and drug release results were computed by using FTIR, SEM, DSC and TGA, PXRD, EXD and dissolution studies at pH 1.2, pH 6.8 and pH 7.4, respectively. Results revealed an acetal ring formation, non-porous surfaces, stability up to 450 degrees C with mass loss of 84.31%, variation in carbon and oxygen contents and targeted release at pH 7.4. Different kinetic models were applied on release studies i.e., zero order, first order, Higuchi and Korsmeyer-Peppas. Higuchi model was declared as best fit model based on r2 value (0.99) and mechanism of release was non-Fickian diffusion. A potential approach for colonic delivery of 5-FU was successfully developed.

Advances in Polymer Technology, 2016

In this study, a series of novel pH-sensitive copolymeric butyl acrylate-co-itaconic acid (p(BA-c... more In this study, a series of novel pH-sensitive copolymeric butyl acrylate-co-itaconic acid (p(BA-co-IA)) hydrogel microspheres were prepared by modified suspension polymerization of butyl acrylate and itaconic acid with the addition of 5% ethylene glycol dimethacrylate as a cross-linker and 1% benzoyl peroxide as an initiator. Nifedipine, an antihypertensive drug, was successfully encapsulated into these hydrogel microspheres by the equilibrium swelling method. Prepared hydrogel micropsheres were evaluated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffractometry (XRD), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The chemical stability of the nifedipine after being encapsulated into prepared hydrogel microspheres was confirmed by FTIR, DSC, and XRD analysis. TGA indicates that prepared samples showed much better thermal stability than pure drug nifedipine. SEM images showed that prepared p(BA-co-IA) hydrogel microspheres are spherical in shape. The size distribution of prepared samples was found between 4.145 to 10 μm using a Malvern nanosize ZS instrument. The maximum percentage entrapment efficiency of nifedipine was found 67%, and % yield was about 72%. The maximum in vitro release studies of drug-loaded microspheres, which is 94.4% for the pH 7.4 buffer solution, demonstrated the pH sensitivity of prepared hydrogel microspheres. The cumulative drug release data were analyzed by using the Korsmeyer-Peppas equation to calculate a value of diffusion exponent (n), which follows non-Fickian diffusion.

Advances in Polymer Technology, 2018

Novel copolymeric microgels of 2-methoxyethyl methacrylate and itaconic acid have been proposed f... more Novel copolymeric microgels of 2-methoxyethyl methacrylate and itaconic acid have been proposed for pH-responsive oral delivery of therapeutics. In vitro evaluation confirmed the potential of p(MEMA-co-IA) microgels to protect the drug from harsh environment of stomach and to deliver drug in response to pH of the external environment over extended period of time. In the present study, p(MEMA-co-IA) How to cite this article: Rashid Z, Ranjha NM, Rashid F, Razzaq R. Pharmacokinetic evaluation of novel pH-sensitive poly(2-methoxyethyl methacrylateco-itaconic acid) microgels in rabbits.

Acta poloniae pharmaceutica

Hospital- and community-acquired Staphylococcus aureus infections pose a substantial burden in te... more Hospital- and community-acquired Staphylococcus aureus infections pose a substantial burden in terms of morbidity, mortality and healthcare costs. The extent of nosocomial S. aureus transmission, in particular methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), the prevalence of S. aureus colonization in healthy personnel working in hospital was determined. Factors associated with S. aureus nasal carriage and antibiotic sensitivity pattern of the isolates were also analyzed. A total of 129 nasal swabs and epidemiological information concerning risk factors for nasal carriage were obtained from physicians, nurses, sanitary workers and administrative staff. Antibiotic susceptibility testing was performed using disk diffusion method. The prevalence of S. aureus and MRSA nasal carriage was significantly (p < 0.05) higher in physicians (51.8%, 18.5%), nurses (66.6%, 27.3%) and sanitary workers (59%, 13.6%) as compared to administrative staff (27.6%, 2.1%). There was no association between smoking...

In this study, a series of pH sensitive microgels (MGs) were prepared by modified free radical su... more In this study, a series of pH sensitive microgels (MGs) were prepared by modified free radical suspension polymerization of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) and itaconic acid (IA), using ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) as crosslinker. Equilibrium swelling technique was employed for esomeprazole magnesium trihydrate (EMT) loading. Prepared microgels were characterized through Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), dynamic light scattering technique (DLS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), equilibrium swelling and in vitro drug release kinetics. FTIR and TGA confirmed the formation of copolymeric p(HEMA-co-IA) network. SEM and DLS revealed smooth, round and uniformly distributed microspheres with particle size up to 10 μm. Developed microgels found to be pH responsive in nature. All the formulations (HIDI - HID5) followed Higuchi model with non-Fickian diffusion mechanism of drug release. It was concluded that p(HEMA-co-IA) microg...

In hospitals, the most important reservoirs of staphylococci are either infected or colonized pat... more In hospitals, the most important reservoirs of staphylococci are either infected or colonized patients, while hospital personnel can also serve as reservoirs, they may harbor the organism for longer periods and serves as a link for transmission. The effect of clinical exposure on prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility is determined by comparing data collected from medical personnel (MP), sanitary workers (SW) and non-medical personnel (NMP). Nasal swabs were randomly taken from medical, non medical and sanitary workers, cultured on 5 % sheep blood agar. The isolates were analyzed by using standard microbiological methods. The sensitivity of isolates was carried out by Kirby Bauer disk diffusion technique. The study revealed high rate of S. aureus colonization, while low rate of coagulase negative staphylococci colonization in medical personnel (60 %, 32 %) and sanitary workers (59 %, 36 %) as compared to non-medical personnel (28 %, 68 %) (control group), suggesting that exposure to hospital isolates may alter the colonization profile. The S. aureus strains isolated from medical staff compared with NMP isolates were significantly more resistant to amikacin (p = 0.047), while there was non-significant (p > 0.05) difference in susceptibility profile against oxacillin, ciprofloxacin, fusidic acid, penicillin and doxycycline. Our study revealed that the clinical exposure might have an effect on nasal carriage and anti-microbial susceptibility of S. aureus.